The Dallas Cowboys’ struggles defensively have been well-documented this season, but following their bye week, they are hoping reinforcements can shore up that side of the ball.
Following an active trade deadline for the team, the Cowboys remain in position to compete for a playoff spot despite their 3-5-1 record. The trade acquisitions of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals were significant moves for the team.
In addition, Dallas is preparing for the return of linebacker DeMarvion Overshawn, who is expected to make his season debut Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, in the midst of a revamped defense, rookie cornerback Shavon Revel Jr.'s debut could excite fans the most.
Revel Jr., who has missed the first 10 weeks of the season recovering from an ACL tear in his last year with East Carolina University, is an intriguing talent who can help the reeling Cowboys' secondary. If not for the injury, some scouts and evaluations had Revel Jr. as a first-round talent, so the Cowboys getting him in the third could turn out to be a steal.
Cowboys Fans Should Temper Expectations for Rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr.
However, Cowboys nation shouldn’t expect to see Revel Jr. on the field as much as they might like from the get-go. But, there shouldn’t be a problem with that for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost, the health of Revel Jr. is the most important. Coming back from an injury of that magnitude is not easy. Not only can it affect someone physically, but also mentally, so seeing how he responds to that will be key.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on 105.3 The Fan Friday that Revel Jr. is “still getting his feet wet” and confirmed he will likely be on a snap count, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Secondly, the Cowboys shouldn’t need a lot out of their defense to beat a Raiders team that ranks in the bottom third in yards per game (272.7, 30th) and points per game (15.4, 31st). As poor as the defense has been in Dallas, the new faces should help slow down the Raiders’ top two threats in running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers.
And not to mention, the Cowboys still have DaRon Bland and Kaiir Elam at cornerback, who should be able to keep up with the new-look Raiders' WR unit that doesn't have Jakobi Meyers.
Going forward, though, the Cowboys hope Revel Jr. becomes the player the potential suggested. He could be a catalyst in turning around what is one of the worst units in football into a serviceable one.