Dallas Cowboys: Nolan Carroll released, what impact will it have?

The Dallas Cowboys have released cornerback Nolan Carroll. The team is clearly looking to go in a new direction as they focus on their younger players.

The Dallas Cowboys have released veteran cornerback, Nolan Carroll as he has been unable to stay on the field consistently. Now that Carroll is gone the Cowboys will need their rookie cornerbacks to step up and take over larger roles.

Carroll did not impress anyone during his time in Dallas as he continually was a liability in coverage. The concussion he suffered was not thought to be too serious but he was unable to rejoin the team in the time since.

Now there is a new player breaking out in the Dallas Cowboys secondary and he is a rookie. Jourdan Lewis has made the most of every snap he has had on the field. He has a nose for the ball and the fire to compete with any wide receiver in this league.

He had some big pass breakups against the Green Bay Packers and is beginning to look like the teams best cornerback.  Let us also remember if Lewis had not have had some off the field concerns (which have since been cleared up) he would have gone early in the second round if not late in the first.

He was one of the top defensive prospects in the secondary heading into the draft and is beginning to shine a couple of months later. Lewis was expected to be purely a slot cornerback however he has been pretty effective on the outside as well.

More from Dallas Cowboys

• West coast, Texas coast, burnt toast: Cowboys don’t need more runs
• Brandin Cooks will change the way defenses play the Dallas Cowboys
• Why the Dallas Cowboys defensive X-Factor is EDGE Sam Williams
• Dallas Cowboys: 3 head coach options if McCarthy fails in 2023
• Dallas Cowboys: Is CB Jourdan Lewis a tradeable asset?

The Cowboys may even choose to line him up on the outside and leave Scandrick in the middle. Lewis is also one of the best tackling defensive backs that have been on the roster in quite some time.

He routinely lit up running backs and disrupted routes against the Packers. Second round pick, Chidobe Awuzie is still working his way back from injury but should begin to make have a more consistent impact fairly soon.

The Dallas Cowboys releasing Carroll just shows how much confidence they have in the youth movement in the secondary. The team did draft Awuzie and Lewis to have immediate roles and to be the future of the Cowboys secondary, I cannot expect that either of them saw it happening so soon.

The Cowboys defense does look a lot more improved with Lewis on the field and he could be a diamond in the rough for a team that sorely needs a lockdown defensive back. Byron Jones has been terrific as a free safety but that is where he will stay position-wise.

Next: Dallas Cowboys analyzing the fourth quarter collapse

Veteran, Orlando Scandrick has seemingly locked down the slot cornerback job and has been pretty consistent with his play. If this secondary can stay healthy these young players are only going to get better and better as they gain experience.

Lewis can be eased into his starting role as the Dallas Cowboys will square off against the San Francisco 49ers in Week Seven after their bye.