Dallas Cowboys: This Position Is Getting Better

The Dallas Cowboys have struggled at this position for years; however, it’s getting better by the day because the team is bringing in a veteran for a workout.

It’s no secret the Dallas Cowboys were one of the worse teams in the NFL last season in takeaways, especially the secondary. The Cowboys secondary was beyond pathetic, recording only eight measly interceptions.

Safety Jeff Heath led the team in interceptions with two, and those interceptions were tipped balls. If not for the tipped balls, the interception total would be an awesome six. For Heath to lead the secondary in interceptions, it tells you how substandard this secondary performed last season.

The Cowboys defensive backfield consist of former first-round picks in corner Morris Claiborne, safety Byron Jones, and $50 million dollar former free agent Brandon Carr. There is no reason for this trio of defensive backs to have less interceptions than Heath.

After sharing that sad truth, the Cowboys secondary will be better in 2016. The reason is because the Cowboys will have their best cornerback, Orlando Scandrick, back on the field. Together with a more seasoned Byron Jones playing the safety position, the secondary should show instant improvement from Day 1.

The Cowboys coaching staff have high hopes for Jones, who did show flashes of his athletic ability and versatility while playing both corner and safety positions last season. The dynamic defensive back played well against the New England Patriots All Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski, which is hard to do, to say the least.

More from Sports Dallas Fort-Worth

To be fair, Claiborne did play solid last season, but the former first round pick needs to pick it up this season because interceptions are a must if this team is to win the division and make a deep playoff run.

That is why it’s so important if the Cowboys can sign an outside free agent (Boykin anyone?). Brandon Boykin, the former fourth-round pick out of Georgia, has eight career interceptions, including a career high six interceptions and 16 pass breakups while with the Eagles in 2013.

That’s more interceptions and pass breakups than any current Cowboys defensive back. Take aways are so uncommon for this secondary that if one of Dallas’ defensive backs had that many interceptions and pass breakups in a season, they might be a candidate for the Cowboys Ring of Honor.

That’s how rare it’s been for the Cowboys secondary to create turnovers.

The only problem with signing Boykin is that he’s rumored to have a hip injury. Hopefully, this injury is just a rumor and the Cowboys can sign Boykin.

Drafted by the Eagles in 2012, Boykin has a total of eight interceptions, 145 tackles in seven starts in his four-year career. Boykin was traded in 2015 to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional fifth-round pick.

In March, Boykin signed with the Carolina Panthers, only to be released in May. The reason is to be Boykin’s hip. However, the Cowboys will get to evaluate him when he visits Valley Ranch.

If the Cowboys can sign Boykin, he can play the slot cornerback position, allowing Scandrick to play the outside corner. Also, this move will give the Cowboys depth at the cornerback position.

Another reason the secondary will improve is because simply of depth. When you factor in the Cowboys drafted Purdue cornerback Anthony Brown in the round, which the coaching staff thinks highly of, Dallas appears to have at least a decent secondary in the making.

The “x” factors in this equation are the Cowboys landing Boykin and Scandrick returning as one of the best corners on the team.

With these two corners, the interception total will increase and it’ll help the defense overall, helping the defensive linemen get coverage sacks.

If that happens, the Cowboys’ weakest link will no longer exist.

Home/Dallas Cowboys