The Dallas Cowboys secondary has been a very intriguing story over the past year. Last offseason, the front office let Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox, Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr walk out the door. Some questioned the team's ability to rebuild the unit, but it's fair to say they started off with the right foot.
Although there are still some questions regarding the defensive backs, the team did make a good job of adding Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis during the 2017 NFL Draft.
Thanks to the addition of these guys, the Cowboys seem to have a foundation for what we hope will become a quality defensive backfield.
However, as I said, there are still plenty of concerns that must be answered to solidify the unit. Will the Cowboys address the team's need of a safety early in the coming Draft? Will they make some free agency moves in order to reinforce the secondary? Will they try to trade for Earl Thomas?
Right now, even though cornerback depth may be concerning, I think the big question mark is at the safety position. There are a lot of possible scenarios we could see for the Cowboys, but it's hard to know which will be the final outcome.
With the NFL Scouting Combine taking place this week in Indianapolis, Stephen Jones talked to the media and talked about lots of different topics, giving Cowboys Nation a lot of things to think about and discuss.
Jones had more than one thing to say about the team's secondary, which will have a new coach for 2018 in form of former Seahawks' Defensive Coordinator Kris Richard.
Stephen Jones was asked if a final decision has been made on moving Byron Jones from safety to cornerback. “No,” he said. “That will be a work in progress.”
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) February 23, 2018
We've been talking about Byron Jones' situation for a while now. After playing three seasons with the Cowboys, he still hasn't found a true position. This guy has become one of the most controversial players among fans, with some loving him and some wanting him gone.
However you feel about Byron though, it's foolish to deny his athleticism and his talent. He's shown it a lot throughout his short career and despite the fact that he hasn't done enough to deserve being called a “great” safety, a switch to cornerback might be just what he (and the defense) needs.
According to Stephen, there hasn't been a final decision and it may be a while until we know about it for sure. Even still, I'm sure a lot of fans will be looking very closely to this story, especially with Richard joining the coaching staff.
Stephen Jones classified the Cowboys' safety spot as “a work in progress.” He said if the Cowboys move Byron Jones to CB, then safety becomes thin, and is a “position of need.” He added that they like Chido Awuzie as a CB, “probably moreso than as a safety.” #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) February 27, 2018
Chidobe Awuzie's versatility is often brought up when talking about the Cowboys' future at safety. While it's true he could probably get the job done, I'm relieved to see Jones saying they're happy with their second-round pick at CB.
After returning from injury, Awuzie's performance as a rookie was more than impressive. Taking the risk of losing the impact he proved he could provide just to test him out at safety would be foolish. Let's hope the Cowboys let him and Jourdan Lewis stay put and continue developing the very promising cornerback duo.
Last but not least, Jones talked about Orlando Scandrick.
Stephen Jones said the Cowboys have not made a decision on Orlando Scandrick's future with the team
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) February 27, 2018
Even without a final decision made, the Cowboys are not expected to keep the veteran for 2018. We've been seeing this coming for a while now, and the truth is not many people would mind him playing elsewhere.
Awuzie and Lewis certainly calmed down the uncertainty of the cornerback group and with Byron Jones potentially switching to the position, it looks like a move Dallas can afford make. Scandrick hasn't been a great on the field for a few years now, so it definitely won't be a huge loss for the team.
With DeMarcus Lawrence, David Irving and Dez Bryant being the most talked Cowboys' players this offseason, don't forget about the secondary. This group is among the most intriguing ones of the team, and it'll be fun to see how it turns out.
