As the Dallas Cowboys prepare to travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers, a former Cowboy suddenly became available.
A former second round pick that was recently traded away is now a free agent after being released by the Miami Dolphins.
Kelvin Joseph didn’t work out in Miami, but could a reunion with the Cowboys be in the cards?
Before the “there’s a reason he was traded” crowd shows up to my front door with torches and pitchforks, circumstances have changed.
Joseph was traded straight up for Noah Igbinoghene, another cornerback who couldn’t get over the threshold with the Dolphins.
With Dallas, Igbinoghene has been on the gameday roster bubble throughout the season, appearing in only four games.
Injuries to All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs and special teams standout C.J. Goodwin have created an opportunity to bring back a familiar face.
Based on social media, I can tell I’m pretty much on an island with this take, but please give me the opportunity to convince you why bringing Joseph back is good for the Cowboys.
Special Teams
Like I mentioned above, special teams ace C.J. Goodwin suffered an injury that now has him ruled out for the entire season.
Goodwin was yet another casualty of the beating that Dallas took at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.
The Cowboys didn’t only lose on the scoreboard. They also lost both Goodwin and Leighton Vander Esch for the season.
Joseph, who was drafted to be a shutdown cornerback out of the University of Kentucky, never developed into the player the Cowboys hoped he’d be.
After two years of not cracking into the regular coverage rotation, Joseph seemed to have found a niche in special teams with John “Bones” Fassel.
The duo of Goodwin and Joseph as gunners on the punt and kickoff teams gave Fassel a dynamic duo in kick coverage.
At the time it could have been considered a luxury, but now that Goodwin is out for the season, that unit is without both of them.
I wouldn’t necessarily call it a desperation move, but Fassel has resorted to inserting DE Sam Williams as a gunner on his coverage teams.
It’s a little out of the norm for that position, as it is usually reserved for speedy defensive backs or wide receivers.
Joseph played 70% of the special teams snaps in Dallas last season, and had already logged 87% of those snaps with the Dolphins before his release.
If nothing else, Joseph can be a boon on special teams for the Cowboys.
Cornerback Room Depth
While the Goodwin injury opened up the opportunity for special teams snaps, another injury created some space in the cornerback room.
Trevon Diggs tore his ACL in practice prior to the Week 3 matchup at the Arizona Cardinals.
Please don’t misconstrue my logic. I am not saying Joseph can come in and replace the production that Diggs left behind.
I’m saying that his injury created a domino effect that has put the Cowboys in circumstances they didn’t have to worry about before.
After the Cowboys acquired former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts, I wrote about how Dallas could have the best cornerback trio in the NFL.
The defense’s performance in the first two weeks prior to Diggs’ injury reinforced that take, but post-injury has weakened it.
Second year player DaRon Bland, who was originally supposed to see the field primarily as the slot cornerback, was forced to start on the boundary opposite of Gilmore.
Bland has been so productive in that role, recording a team high five interceptions, of which he has returned three of them for touchdowns.
Gilmore has also been solid on the other side, notching two interceptions so far this season.
After Bland and Gilmore, the depth chart starts to get sketchy.
Jourdan Lewis, who returned this season from a Lisfranc injury suffered in 2022, has not returned to his usual level of play in the slot.
Lewis has been the focus of opposing offenses, who have attacked him to avoid throwing at the stalwarts lined up on the boundary.
He has allowed completions on 54% of the throws in coverage while giving up three touchdowns, a 111.1 passer rating, 70 yards after catch, and just one pass defensed in eight games.
During training camp, the coaches experimented with Joseph in the slot, a position they had never put him in before.
By all accounts, he was playing well, but a logjam at the position, and the need for more depth at outside cornerback is what triggered the trade with Miami.
Would adding Joseph back to the team make the Cowboys world beaters?
No, but for the reasons mentioned above, plus his familiarity with the defense make it a situation worth kicking the tires on.
You don’t have to convince me…..he fills some holes and can hit the ground running
Mike Johnson Jr. Special teams was all he was good at…
Scott Aly and we lost CJ, our special teams ace, for the year
Sign him if for no other reason than put him on the practice squad Incase of Injury
If for no other reason? Let me ask you a question. Is there another cornerback that is not signed right now your twlling me out of everyone available he is the best corner available in football right now? You down sign players for the hell of it. I question your knowledge making a comment like that. You sogn dpmeone to help you not to put him on the practice squad for the hell if it
If I remember correctly he wasn’t that good correct me if I’m wrong
He wasn’t. He committed about as many penalties on ST’s as he did tackles or any other positive play.
He was atrocious. Special teams penalties almost every play and he allowed at least 3 TDs where he wasn’t even competitive against the Jags. He also tends to draw pass interference more often than not. Do not sign this player. If you want depth, look elsewhere like Jack Jones.
James McKee he actually had a decent camp when they moved him to the slot
Rick Thomas again I don’t recollect he being much good , made a few plays on special teams but that’s it !
James McKee he was terrible outside, did much better in the slot, they had plenty of depth there so they traded for an outside corner, daron moved outside now and lewis has been bad in the slot this year. I’m not saying he was great he just did better in the slot.
James McKee maybe he’s still not 100%
Rick Thomas probably not Go Cowboys we should get the W today
James McKee we should, but I hate these games sometimes
Rick Thomas lol me too Arizona !!!?
James McKee still don’t get that one!
Rick Thomas that was insane at the time then when dobbs went to the Vikings it made a little more sense
James McKee still a game they shouldn’t have lost though
Rick Thomas exactly
They should DEFINITELY b looking at Joseph, Lewis has been bad, & they have NOBODY behind him !
Wanted them to sign Jack Jones , but he didn’t clear waivers
Definitely sign him he is better in the slot than lewis and we can use him on special teams
I’m on that island with you, Mario. When I heard Joseph was released I immediately thought Dallas should grab him. He’s a really good special teams player—not as good as Goodwin, but not that far off. Neither are great cornerbacks but Joseph is the better there.
Idk about this. Think we are ok at CB. WISH they would sign LB Paul-Peirre instead.
I agree…. If anything, just sign him to play special teams, and only put him in the slot if it’s the only option left!! Either way, he’s worth signing!
Hes worth signing. He sucked do you understand how bad you have to be to get rid of a second round pick in just a short time? That doesent happen. Like i asked above your saying he is the best corner- special teams player in all of football. And dont forget when you are on the practice aquad any team can take someones player from the practice squad if you put him on the active roster. So even more so your saying joseph is the best free agent corner or special teams player and also better than anyone on any teams practice aquad? Please dont apply for a hm position
Tanner Paxson
Justin Busch lol you just thought the saga ended
Let him play LB. He’s much better at the line of scrimmage, very physical.
Makes good sense to retry Joseph.
I have always felt that Jospeh should have remained on the team. As gunner on the kick teams, He is quite good. He and Goodwin were becoming demons and Jospeh had impacted 1 or two fumbles on kick coverage. I am relying on my memory, and I admit I do not have a way to verify the fumbles caused. But I am certain it happened once. I think it happened twice. He is not afraid to tackle either. Few seemed to realize that he was our fastest corner back. Timed at 4,34 in the 40. He was also rumored to have turned in a 4.2+ time, before being drafted. Good and bad for him in one instance. He was overconfident in his speed during the Jacksonville game. He tried to take chances, to intercept passes and help the team win that game. He had hoped to jump routes and instead he got beat twice on double moves. Two touchdowns were the price he made us pay. Yes, he was undisciplined last season and frustrated the team’s leadership and his teammates. The benefit of his errors was that he was able to finally understand that he needed football much more than he thought. His fantasy about becoming a big time and well-paid rapper weren’t realistic at this point in his life. So, he learned to be better at coverage. During the preseason this year, I was under the impression that his slot coverage was much stronger overall than his coverage in 2022.
If he had been on our team this year, he would have made the better slot coverage player thus allowing Bland to play outside without such a leaky slot. I also appreciate and like Jourdan Lewis. He was always better at covering the outside with Anthony Brown playing the slot. Of course, Diggs on the outside also. during 2022. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that despite the way many of our fellow fans look at Joseph, he has a lot to offer to help improve our defense. He can cover the slot more successfully. He is a tough tackler and will help during the times when his assignments would keep him close to the line of scrimmage. He would be a good addition to our special teams.
Lewis would not be demoted. Last year he was assigned receivers who were tough covers.
Lewis runs 4,3 also and is physical enough to be a very sticky cover man. As a result, he would handle a Deabo or a Philly challenge WR like an AJ Brown or one of their running backs that they are trying to sneak out as receivers. He was excellent at that, and the team used him quite a bit. Just like a less popular player ahd very underappreciated player like Anthony Brown, Joseph could be less celebrated but very good as a member of the defensive back team. He would have helped us help Lewis to have more success We would have a better special team gunner and have less of a need to draft a defensive back as urgently next year. And… eventually, he would improve his skills and discipline enough to support our outside coverage crew for when or if Gilmore chooses to retire or move on. I hope that such a move is a few years away. Better slot coverage also helps the safeties to focus elsewhere. For example, Wilson would need to be as free as he was last year to destroy game plans and Hooker could roam more freely also. This year SF got away with murder and Philly just got away. He could have helped us help ourselves twice.
Nuff said.
Hell no…dude sucks
BUST!!!!!
No thanks l
It wouldn’t be bad signing? He knows Quinn’s defense schemes and it would be good insurance if any injuries occur? Maybe rejuvenate him at the same time and get him playing at the level he was when he left???
Leave him where he’s at , give somebody else a chance .
Don’t have to convince me. It’s a low
risk. Injuries have played a big part of this season. Why not have a plug and play replacement on at least the practice squad.
cuz he sucks
Someone has to push Jourdan Lewis for his slot position. He is definitely the weak link in the secondary