The Dallas Cowboys demonstrated that they have glaring issues to address in the secondary throughout their 40-37 victory over the New York Giants in Week 2.
The problems Dallas faced defending the pass, particularly throws down the field, stuck out like a sore thumb to fans and former players alike, with cornerback Stephon Gilmore even taking to social media during the game to express his frustration with the performance. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be enough for owner/general manager Jerry Jones to do what the fans of his team are calling for: signing Gilmore to a contract.
Jerry Jones Showing No Interest in Stephon Gilmore Reunion in Dallas
One day after signing Gilmore's high school and college teammate Jadeveon Clowney, it looks like any fans hoping to see a reunion between the former South Carolina Gamecocks stars will have to turn to their favorite football video game to make that happen.
According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, Jones quickly changed the subject when the potential addition of Gilmore was raised. Rather than understanding the desire for immediate help in the secondary, Jones began talking about DaRon Bland and rookie Shavon Revel instead.
With the horrendous effort the secondary put together in Week 2, Dallas cannot afford to have to score 40 points each week only to squeak past a rival in overtime. To be frank, having Jones shoot down the possibility of adding a proven veteran like Gilmore to the roster is a bit of a head-scratcher.
The ceiling with Gilmore may not be as high as it once was, but his play during the 2024 campaign as a member of the Minnesota Vikings proved that Gilmore's floor is still better than most. Gilmore racked up 56 tackles, one interception, and nine passes defended in 15 starts this past season. The fact that Gilmore has also openly said he hopes to play this season, per Clutch Points' Abdullah Imran, just makes the dismissal by Jones that much more perplexing.
It isn't just the lack of overall success on that side of the ball that is plaguing Dallas. While Donovan Wilson came down with the moonshot that Russell Wilson threw in overtime to give the Cowboys offense a chance to win, he was burned down the field on several other occasions that afternoon. Those struggles didn't stop him from celebrating his entire way back to the locker room, however.
With Gilmore seemingly not on the radar at this time, the Cowboys will be banking on Bland and Revel to get the job done alongside Trevon Diggs. Unfortunately, neither Bland nor Revel appears to be ready to suit up and take the field against what should be a very motivated Chicago Bears team during Week 3.