Dallas Cowboys: 5 Free agents who could start at cornerback

The Dallas Cowboys added Kelvin Joseph in the draft but he might not be ready to start as a rookie. These five cornerbacks, however, could start for them.

There’s no denying that the Dallas Cowboys wanted to get better at cornerback this offseason. They might not have gone out and signed any big-name free agents, but they made the position a priority in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Dallas took Kelvin Joseph from Kentucky in the second round, Nashon Wright from Oregon State in the third, and Israel Mukuamu from South Carolina in the sixth. All three of those players have traits that could help them develop into starters, but none of them are guaranteed to be ready — even Joseph who has the most potential, but also has a lack of experience.

With that being said, the Cowboys could look to free agency for a Week 1 starter who could help them ease their rookies into the pro game.

Here, we look at five potential starters that are still available in free agency.

5. Darqueze Dennard

One option on the open market is a player who already knows the defensive coordinator in Big D. Darqueze Dennard spent six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals but signed in 2020 with the Atlanta Falcons, where he worked under Dan Quinn early in the season.

Dennard played in eight games — missing time due to a hamstring injury — and by the time he was activated from the IR, Quinn was gone. Still, the two worked together briefly and there’s obviously something Dennard brings to the table that Quinn likes.

Last year, he started six of eight games played and had 36 tackles, five pass defenses, and a pick. Overall, he was decent in coverage but really stood out in run defense. He wouldn’t be a long-term answer but Dennard could be a starter in 2021 while Joseph and the other rookies get their feet wet.