2024 Roster Review: Starting Defensive Backs – Part 15 of 17. Click here to view all articles in this series.
The Dallas Cowboys began the 2023 season by starting five defensive backs and held to that philosophy throughout the year.
But they did not end the season with the same starting five. The surprise of the year was losing their star cornerback and having his replacement set an NFL record.
Here's how the six players that were the main starters at cornerback and safety fared last year:
Trevon Diggs
Diggs started the first two games of the season, then was lost for the year due to an ACL injury on the practice field.
The two-time Pro Bowler had picked off a pass, forced a fumble and defended three passes against the Giants and the Jets to open the year.
He had been expected to have a monster year with Stephon Gilmore opposite him. That promise went unrealized when Diggs went down in practice.
The good news is that Diggs appears to be on track to return in 2024.
Diggs is signed through the end of the 2028 season. The only lingering question is just how fully he'll return from his injury.
If the Cowboys find themselves with two ball hawks on each side of the field, they will be in great shape in 2024.
Stephon Gilmore
Gilmore – the second-oldest defensive back on the team – was the only one to start all 17 games.
He stepped up after Diggs went down. Gilmore finished with two interceptions, a forced fumble and defended 13 passes in 2023.
He also recorded a career-high 68 tackles while playing – and starting – in 17 games.
Gilmore is a free agent. Rumor has it that the Lions are targeting Gilmore.
Whether or not the Cowboys will make a run at retaining Gilmore remains to be seen.
If they don't they already have his replacement on the roster.
DaRon Bland
The Cowboys' season was looking bleak when Diggs went down. Gilmore was not a CB1 by any stretch of the imagination.
Diggs' starting spot was claimed by Bland.
What he did in 2023 is nothing short of incredible.
He'd already had his first Pick Six of the season in the season-opener against the Giants. Bland would add four more after Diggs went down.
He set a new NFL record for Pick Sixes with his fifth against the Commanders on Thanksgiving Day.
Bland had a total of nine interceptions on the year, leading the NFL for the season. He finished with 53 tackles on the season as well.
Bland is signed through the end of the 2025 season. If Gilmore is indeed bound for greener pastures then Bland is likely the Cowboys CB2 in 2024.
Not bad for a kid out of Central Catholic High in Modesto, CA. As a fellow Stanislaus County kid, I had to mention that.
Malik Hooker
Hooker started 15 games at safety for Dallas in 2023. He finished with an interception and 50 tackles for the season.
He also forced a fumble and recovered a fumble against the Eagles – but in two different games.
His forced fumble came in the loss at Philadelphia. His fumble recovery came in the win at AT&T Stadium five weeks later.
Hooker is signed through the 2026 season, but they do have an option to get out of the contract after the 2024 season.
Donovan Wilson
Wilson started 13 games at safety for Dallas.
In his second year as a starter, he saw his numbers slide down from his 2022 numbers. He still had two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
After recording 101 tackles in 2021, he had just 88 tackles in 2023.
Wilson is signed through the end of the 2024 season but the team could save over $5 million by cutting him before the 2025 season.
Jayron Kearse
Because the Cowboys used five defensive backs, a third safety was playing nearly every down.
Kearse also started in 13 games at safety in 2023.
He finished with one interception and defended four passes. He did add 1.5 sacks and 72 tackles.
But Kearse is a free agent this year.
It would seem unlikely Dallas will bring him back, but not impossible.
The 2024 Starters
With Dan Quinn's departure and Mike Zimmer taking over as defensive coordinator look for Dallas to return to just four starting defensive backs this year.
Assuming Diggs' fully recovers, expect him and Bland to start at corner. The two starting safeties are a different matter.
With the safety-playing-as-undersized-linebacker system gone, I expect Wilson and Markquese Bell to be the starting safeties in 2023.
Bell spent much more time as linebacker in 2023. Look for him to move back to his more natural position this year.
