Ranking the Dallas Cowboys 10 best players on the roster

8. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Safety

For some reason, the Dallas defense under Rod Marinelli seemed to hate two positions — nose tackle and safety. Throughout the defensive coordinator’s tenure with the Cowboys, they continually placed band-aids on these two positions. For example, they entered 2019 with an undrafted nose tackle in Antwaun Woods and at safety it was another undrafted player in Jeff Heath getting a start as well as a former sixth-round pick next to him in Xavier Woods.

This is just one season, but the same was being said for the majority of the time Marinelli was there. Sure, they flirted with Earl Thomas after failing to trade for him and even kicked the tires on Jamal Adams. Before the Adams inquiry, they even visited with just about every safety in the 2019 class but drafted none until taking Donovan Wilson in the sixth round.

Things changed this offseason as the new regime made those spots a priority by signing nose tackle Dontari Poe and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. While both are former first-round picks, Clinton-Dix is the player who is still entering his prime at 27-years of age. He’s also coming off a solid season for the Chicago Bears and gives Dallas something they haven’t had in years — a potential ball hawk in the secondary.

In six NFL season, Clinton-Dix has 16 interceptions and has never gone an entire season without at least one interception — and has had at least two in every year outside of his rookie campaign. Adding him was an underrated move by Dallas and he enters the year not only as their best free-agent addition, but he’s currently the best secondary player they have on the roster as well.