Cowboys: Did Nolan Carroll just crack the door for his competition?

Earlier this week Dallas Cowboys cornerback, Nolan Carroll, was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Was that enough to crack the door on his competition?

The Dallas Cowboys embarked on quite the overhaul this offseason. After letting starting cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne depart uncontested in free agency, they signed former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, Nolan Carroll, to help fil the void.

Carrol, signed to a modest 3-year/ $10 million deal, was expected by many to be a starter on the Dallas Cowboys this coming season. But the depth chart became murky when the Cowboys snagged Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis in rounds two and three, respectively.

It was clear from the moment the draft ended that Nolan Carroll would have to battle hard to hold onto a starting role with the Cowboys this year. Awuzie and Lewis are both versatile cornerbacks who bring confidence and skills to training camp. They are not your average rookie cornerbacks. Now, after allegedly getting hit with a DWI over the holiday weekend, Nolan Carroll may have just given his training camp competition all they need to claim a starting spot on the Cowboys defense.

With this presumably bone-headed move, Nolan Carroll opens the door for multiple players to break through.

The contract

Nolan Carroll was signed in March to what is essentially a 1-year “prove it” deal. While technically it is 3-years long, the Cowboys can cut him after the first and only eat $2 million in dead money.

The modest investment ensures the Cowboys won’t feel forced to fit him into the top-3 cornerback group. Nolan Carroll will have to earn his position.

The competition

With this presumably bone-headed move, Nolan Carroll opens the door for multiple players to break through. Obviously we have Orlando Scandrick who has his own track record of poor decisions. But Scandy has earned his stripes on the Cowboys roster and if he’s retained this season (and I believe he will), he’s all but guaranteed a top-3 cornerback spot.

Even before this incident I’d argue last season’s breakout cornerback, Anthony Brown, already has a leg up on Carroll. He’s a young player on the rise, blessed with speed and agility. I don’t feel good about anyone covering a player like Odell Beckham Jr or Julio Jones, but out of the players on this roster, Brown is the best equipped.

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Chidobe Awuzie, the Dallas Cowboys second round pick, may prove to be an enormous steal in the second round. He’s mature beyond his years, disciplined, talented, and fearless. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t in the top-3 in Week 1 as well.

Jourdan Lewis, drafted in the third round, is arguably the most talented cornerback on this roster. A ball hawk among ball hawks, Lewis is blessed with a nose for the football and natural playmaking skills. He may take some time to catch up to the speed of the NFL but don’t be surprised if he’s starting by the end of the year.

If you’re paying attention, that’s four cornerbacks who can make a legitimate case they are better players than Nolan Carroll.

All about training camp

Any veteran preference Nolan Carroll may have enjoyed is now gone with this alleged DWI. No longer should he be considered the man to unseat. He may be in the starting unit now, but that means very little until training camp gets rolling.

Now Carroll’s a guy fighting for a job. And as Dink Kearney suggested yesterday, the door may even be cracked for Richard Sherman.

Next: How good is Nolan Carroll: A breakdown of his performance

At the time of this article, the NFL has yet to announce the incident publicly and consequently no punishment has yet been levied. A 2-game suspension is not out of the realm of possibility and if Carroll is forced to miss games, that may be all one of these aforementioned players needs to permanently unseat him.

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