Cowboys’ crowded room at defensive back will be trimmed

2024 Roster Review: Backup Defensive Backs – Part 16 of 17. Click here to view all articles in this series.

The Dallas Cowboys ended the 2023 season with a total of 14 defensive backs in the roster.

Not all of them played defensive back in 2023, as departed defensive coordinator Dan Quinn played safeties as undersized linebackers.

So it seems likely, with a new defensive coordinator in Mike Zimmer, many of the names listed below will not be back in 2024. Which ones will stay?

Let’s see if we can look at their 2023 production and gain some insight.

Nahshon Wright

Wright did not play in the first five games of the 2023 season. Over 80% of his playing time was on special teams as he took 50 defensive snaps in 12 games played.

He finished the year with just five tackles and a single pass defended. Wright is under contract for this year but will be a free agent after the season concludes.

In his previous three seasons in Dallas he has a total of 37 tackles, one interception, and five passes defended in 32 games with three starts.

Barring a massive improvement this year it seems likely that Wright will be gone in 2025.

Jourdan Lewis

Lewis started eight games for the Cowboys in 2023. He finished with 52 tackles, one interception, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

He added five defended passes in 2023.

But he is a free agent this year and in a crowded room that already needs to be trimmed, it seems likely Dallas might let him go.

Noah Igbinoghene

Dallas traded Kelvin Joseph to Miami for Igbinoghene last August.

He recorded no official stats in 2023 in five games. Three-quarters of his on-field time was on special teams.

And he’s a free agent this year.

Given that the Cowboys traded for him, it seems likely they might bring him back. They declined to trigger a fifth-year option – it would have cost them over $13 million if they had.

But there is potential there and he’s much younger – and probably cheaper to sign — than Lewis.

C.J. Goodwin

Goodwin was the oldest defensive back on the team, beating Stephon Gilmore by about seven months for the honor.

But, like Igbinoghene, he only played in five games last year. And he is also a free agent.

With just four tackles for the year and the team needing to clear out the room a little, it seems unlikely Goodwin will be in Dallas in 2024.

Juanyeh Thomas

The rookie out of Georgia Tech started the first game of the season. He had two tackles and defended a pass.

He didn’t start another game for the rest of the year.

He finished with 22 tackles and four passes defended for the year.

He’s signed through 2024 and becomes a restricted free agent in 2025. He’ll likely be on the roster this fall and will have a shot to land a starting safety spot.

Israel

Mukuamu is entering the final year of his rookie contract from 2021. He’ll be a free agent next year.

So he’s probably a safe bet to make the team this fall.

But he only recorded six tackles, a defended pass, and a fumble recovery in 14 games in 2023.

In 33 games in his career he has three starts. He has one interception, the one fumble recovery, two defended passes, and 23 tackles.

Unless he takes his game up a level he’s likely out the door after the upcoming season ends.

Markquese Bell

Bell will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season, but don’t be surprised to see Dallas keep him around. Especially if he repeats his 2023 numbers in 2024.

Although listed as a safety, Bell played a lot as a linebacker after a very quiet 2022 season.

He recorded 94 tackles in 2023, forced two fumbles and defended four passes. He also started eight games in 2023.

He probably will begin camp as one of the starting safeties – depending on who the Cowboys ultimately decide to bring back.

Sheldrick Redwine

If you read this name and went—Who? – don’t feel bad. I did the same.

Redwine played a total of seven snaps on defense and another 12 on special teams for Dallas in 2023.

All 19 snaps came in the Thanksgiving Day roasting of Washington.

A fourth round pick of the Browns in 2019, Redwine bounced around in 2021. Dallas signed him prior to the 2023 season.

He is signed through the end of the 2025 season.

He might be able to restart his career under Zimmer. But his numbers since leaving Cleveland after the 2020 season aren’t promising.