Cowboys roster rundown: Secondary trending upwards with Trevon Diggs

DALLAS — After a long and arduous offseason, training camp finally arrives for the Dallas Cowboys this week which makes for a good time to check in on the roster. Next up are the defensive backs where the Cowboys are in great shape with All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs. The former 2020 second-round pick from Alabama delivered shades of Everson Walls as he collected 11 interceptions for 142 return yards and two touchdowns, leading the NFL in all three categories.

Dallas may not see Diggs repeat as a double-digit interceptor, but his 21 pass breakups are another sign defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a lockdown corner to work with. Everson Walls compared the #Cowboys ‘ front seven to the Showtime #Lakers on @1053thefan pic. twitter.

com/FRwd9ZVuot The Cowboys also seek to transition from their veteran stability to younger talent in the backfield. Anthony Brown had 71 combined tackles, three interceptions, and 17 pass breakups through 16 games last year, but he will need a repeat performance as he fights off second-year cornerbacks Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright for playing time. Joseph at 6’-1” and Wright at 6’-4” are more like what Quinn had to work with in Seattle with the Legion of Boom in terms of physicality rather than the 5’-11” Brown.

Jourdan Lewis is equally diminutive by Quinn’s standards at 5’-10”, but the former 2017 third-rounder from Michigan had 61 combined tackles, 1. 5 sack, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries through 16 games in 2021. Cornerback C.

J. Goodwin remains a special teams ace with his blazing speed on a 6’-3”, 190 pound frame. Goodwin provided Dallas with 10 combined tackles through 17 games as he played 332 special teams snaps as one of the best in the league as a return stuffer.

Kyron Brown continues to make his case as a cornerback on the roster. The former New York Jet played one game for Dallas in 2021 while also logging 23 special teams snaps. As for safety, Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker are the top dogs on the backend.

Kearse will stay as the Cowboys’ big nickel as a weapon who shadows tight ends, while Hooker continues to find himself following an Achilles tear sustained in 2020 with the Indianapolis Colts. The former 2017 first-round pick from Ohio State had 44 combined tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups through 15 games, three of which he started. #Cowboys S Jayron Kearse talked about the versatility he provides as a “big nickel”: pic.

twitter. com/OHX6VSlTOX Donovan Wilson enters the final year of his rookie contract. The Texas A&M product didn’t build upon his quasi-breakout 2020 campaign as he produced just 29 tackles and a pass breakup through nine games as he battled injuries.

Tyler Coyle, an undrafted free agent from last year, could challenge Wilson for playing time. Dallas still has a lengthy safety prospect in Israel Mukuamu, who at 6’-4”, 215 pounds, would give Dallas an advantage in the defensive backfield. Mukuamu played four games last year with 58 special teams snaps and 20 defensive snaps.

The Cowboys’ undrafted free agents from this spring included cornerbacks Quandre Mosely from Kentucky, Isaac Taylor-Stuart from USC, and DaRon Bland from Fresno State. The undrafted safeties include Markquese Bell (Florida A&M) and Juanyeh Thomas (Georgia Tech). Each will be using their time in Oxnard trying to open the eyes of the coaching staff.

Will Trevon Diggs enjoy another All-Pro year for the Cowboys? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane . .