The Cowboys secondary has talent, but that talent hasn’t always turned into answers on the field. I don’t remember a game last season where I watched a game and thought to myself, “We will be OK.”
That game never happened. If you watched the same team I did, it was like watching the same game every time. Missed tackles, bad angles, and busted coverage, that is what we watched.
The reimagined secondary that’s been created this offseason has my attention.
DaRon Bland, Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker, Cobie Durant, and Shavon Revel will probably be the first five on the field. With those names I can almost see a secondary that can compete.
DaRon Bland is Still the Man in the Secondary
We will start with DaRon Bland, because if he is fully healthy, he will be the lead outside corner, period.
During his time in the NFL, Bland has averaged 736 total snaps and 457.3 coverage snaps per season, with a 72.3 coverage grade according to PFF. I can live with that body of work.
I’m not expecting Bland to turn into his 2023 form, that was just a ridiculous season, but I also know in the back of my head that it could happen again.
Bland can cover and take the ball away and that is exactly what we need to see this season.
Caleb Downs is the Money Piece
I love Caleb Downs. When that pick came in on draft night, I was jumping up and down in my living room. He is the do-it-all player with the leadership the secondary has needed.
I wouldn’t add Downs and just slot him in as the safety. He is a chess piece to be used in nickle and safety positions. That’s where I think he will make the most impact.
Put this guy over the slot, spin him back deep, walk him into the box, let him blitz. Make the quarterback track him every snap instead of showing your hand pre-snap.
If you watch NCAA football, Caleb Downs put up insane numbers. He averaged an 87.0 defensive grade, 87.8 coverage grade, and an 82.8 run-defense grade in his time between Alabama and Ohio State.
I talked about the versatility of this player, but 306.7 free safety snaps, 288.3 box snaps, and 191.3 slot snaps per season and still putting up those types of grade should tell you all you need to know about Caleb Downs and his do-it-all style.
Jalen Thompson Is the Safety Dallas has Missed
I don’t know if the Jalen Thompson signing got many people fired up, but it should have because he is a finisher.
The Cowboys have had so many secondary players who look good until it’s time to tackle. Then we watch a normal gain turn into a monster gain. Thompson will help with that.
I love this number 7.3. That is the percent of missed tackles by Thompson. Pair that with a 79.2 tackling grade and 834 snaps a season and you get a reliable football player.
When was the last time you could say the Cowboys had reliability in the secondary?
Reliability may sound boring to you, but boring is so much better than watching somebody whiff in space on 3rd and 7.
Malik Hooker Still Fits, Just Keep it Simple
Malik Hooker still has a place on this team. I just don’t want him to be the answer to very many problems.
If you’ve watched the Cowboys you know Malik Hooker is a deep safety. That is where he plays his best football. He averaged 539.6 free safety snaps per season, so let him just be that guy.
He can keep the roof on if that is his job, but I think they tried to make him do to much last season, and he wasn’t fully healthy.
Just be the veteran on the backend.
The 106.3 passer rating allowed is not something I love, but Hooker looks better when he’s not asked to cover every moving part and the players in front of him are helping.
Cobie Durant Is a Strange One
This may be the trickiest player I’ve looked at in the secondary.
I like the ball skills Cobie Durant has shown. He’s averaged 2.8 interceptions and 4.8 pass breakups per season. We know Dallas needs a defensive back who doesn’t just clap after a receiver drops a pass, but actually finds the football.
The issue with Durant is the tackling.
He has a 46.8 tackling grade for his career and missed 10.8% of his tackles. You can’t tell me offensive coordinators don’t see this stuff and attack that player.
I don’t like Durant in the nickel, I like him more on the outside hunting for the football, but just hope the player doesn’t catch it because there is a 10.8% chance they will get more yards.
Shavon Revel Is the Question
Shavon Revel is the wildcard and, depending on how the rest of the offseason goes, he should be in competition for the starting spot outside.
His college numbers will make anyone stay patient.
I found he had a 71.8 coverage grade, allowed only 43.8% completions, and 3.7 pass break-ups per season.
His lone NFL season, even though an injury-shortened one, leaves much to be desired. A 34.6 coverage grade, 119.7 passer rating, and 18.6 % missed tackle rate is hard to stomach, and I think he looked overwhelmed being thrown into the fire with no offseason work.
How It All Fits
I want to believe this will all fit because of each player’s traits.
We can see Bland being the outside playmaker because Hooker is keeping the roof on behind him. Downs can move around as the hybrid, which lets Dallas hide coverage instead of showing everything before the snap.
Jalen Thompson gives the group the steady tackler it needs. If Downs is moving, Bland is attacking throws, and Durant is hunting the football, we need a player to finish plays and that is where Thompson comes out to play.
For once, I think the Cowboys secondary could have pieces that actually cover for each other instead of everyone having the same weaknesses.
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