The NFL Draft is finally upon us. Before the first round gets underway on April 24, let's recap what the Cowboys have done so far this offseason.
Whether it was re-signing their own players, adding new ones in free agency or making a few trades, the Cowboys were rather active in reshaping the roster under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
So let's take a closer look at what each position currently looks like, starting today with the cornerback group.
What Happened: Well, lots, to be quite frank with you. This is a position the Cowboys have had some of the worst luck at maintaining over the course of a season, largely due to the injury bug that consistently takes a bite out of the depth chart. It's seemingly an annual issue, evidenced recently by a fractured foot suffered just ahead of the 2024 season by DaRon Bland, costing him half the season, only for him to return and see Trevon Diggs exit with a knee injury that would end his season entirely, and rookie cornerback Caelen Carson — tasked with first stepping in for Bland and then potentially helping salve the loss of Diggs — wound up on season-ending injured reserve with a nagging shoulder injury.
Not yet done with Dallas' woes, the injury bug then stung Josh Butler, a promising young corner who had a breakout game only one week before, Butler suffering a torn ACL in Week 13 that might also cost him some, if not most or all, of this year's training camp.
Oh, and they lost Jourdan Lewis to free agency.
Oy vey, Cowboys.
What's Up: When will Diggs, Butler and Carson return to the field? That is certainly a great question, but one with no answer, at least not yet. Carson will likely have the best shot at returning first, followed (presumably) by Diggs and then Butler. In their stead, the Cowboys will need a re-signed Israel Mukuamu to show up and show out. The same applies for Andrew Booth, acquired via trade last summer, but who had a very up-and-down first season in Dallas, and those two will, as it stands, take the lead in trying to help Bland, who is now fully healthy again, establish some sort of stability and impact production for defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Luq Barcoo, added in January via a reserve/future contract might provide some sort of insurance, though that feels more like a "break glass in case of emergency" situation; the irony being the Cowboys might already be in that state at cornerback ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. In order to try and throw some talent at the position during free agency, they traded for Kaiir Elam in March, and Elam is positioned to potentially leapfrog Booth for a chance to start opposite Bland to begin the season.
What's Next: You'd have a better chance of correctly guessing the winning lottery numbers than hitting on exactly when the Cowboys will have a complete starting lineup of their best cornerbacks in 2025, and especially seeing as mystic forces have somehow conspired to keep Diggs and Bland from being on the field at the same time for longer than one game at time. And with Lewis now suiting up for the Jaguars, Mukuamu will have to be the answer at nickel corner, though Booth has experience there as well, as Elam and Butler (eventually) man the outside; though you should not overlook just how important it is for the Cowboys to also add to the depth chart in this year's draft.
That means they could look to use a premium pick at the position, also knowing contract talks with DaRon Bland loom large, and how they choose to approach that situation at the end of April will not only be telling of the current state of affairs in that room, but also provide clarity on who'll line up at the top three corner spots when Week 1 rolls around in mid-September.
