2. Chidobe Awuzie, Cornerback
Heading into a contract season, Chidobe Awuzie had a lot of eyes on him. Not only was he trying to fill the shoes of Byron Jones, but there was also some renewed hope that a new defensive scheme could do him wonders. And the start of the season seemed to be going well for him as he had a pass defense and interception in the opening weekend against the Los Angeles Rams.
Then, Awuzie was hurt in Week 2 and missed every game until Week 11. When he returned, he was decent but never jumped off the page. In the end, it appeared he was a similar fit to Mike Nolan’s scheme as he was Rod Marinelli’s — which wasn’t great.
Having said that, Awuzie is still a talented player but he knows that he needs to play elsewhere to make the most of his career. On top of that, he will command more money than Dallas will be willing to pay at the position.
Rookie Trevon Diggs not only played better than Awuzie this season but he’s younger and much more affordable. Chances are, the Cowboys continue to let him groom into the No. 1 cornerback role while also looking for more help in the draft as they try and find their next Byron Jones.
Bonus: Jourdan Lewis
As an added bonus, Awuzie won’t be the only corner to leave. Dallas added him in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft and then in Round 3, they took Jourdan Lewis from Michigan. He too will likely join Awuzie in the open market, especially after the way he struggled down the stretch in 2020 when called upon.