(Editor's Note: With the offseason program in the rearview mirror, it's time to look ahead. As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 key players who are new to the Cowboys' roster, rookies and veterans alike. The series continues today with cornerback Maurice Canady.)
How He Got Here: Canady is a veteran cornerback originally drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Drafted out of Virginia, the Ravens' coaching staff liked enough about Canady's presence and potential to keep him around the organization for a few years, and he saw the field in 24 games for the team. He received limited snaps on defense, but proved himself as a special teams standout in Baltimore. He recorded his only career interception in 2019, picking off Cleveland's Baker Mayfield. After a brief stint with the Jets, The Cowboys signed the 6'1 cornerback in March of 2020, but soon after he chose to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canady has 80 career tackles.
What's Next: It makes sense if Canady is a bit of a forgotten man on the roster, given that he's been here for a year and a half without playing a snap.
Now that he's back in the mix, it's curious to think where he fits in. He has four NFL seasons under his belt, so he's clearly an established veteran – but in that time span he has played just 32 games with four total starts. To this point in his career he has largely been a special teams ace, with 463 special teams snaps across four seasons.
Of course, the problem is that this team already employs a special teams specialist at the cornerback spot in C.J. Goodwin. Can the Cowboys afford to carry two defensive backs who don't contribute much on defense? Or is Canady good enough at corner to work his way into the defensive lineup? Training camp and the preseason should help sort that out.
Bet You Didn't Know: Canady's first and – to this point – only NFL interception came against former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, as Canady spent the first few years of his career with Cleveland's divisional rival, the Baltimore Ravens.
Quotable: "I'm a firm believer that if you don't believe in yourself, nobody else is going to believe in you. So it doesn't really matter what somebody else thinks about me. If I'm out there and I'm timid or if I'm out there and I don't believe I can check the guy, it don't matter who I'm trying to show off for." -Maurice Canady while with the Baltimore Ravens
