Is Bland already a higher level than J Lewis?

[3rdEyewarrior]

i think Bland would have an edge on the 3rd CB role.

- He's bigger and faster and lengthier than Lewis, has velcro grip INT hands and will out wrestle the ball vs WRs. has the same pesky disruptive play mode as Lewis
.he's also an effective blitzer off the edge. and he's more physical than Lewis.

- Lewis has issues vs speed - that's something Bland should not have at the slot role. And he is a rookie who will get even better, whereas Lewis has peaked
and what you see is what you're gonna get.

- Be interesting to see what the team decides in either cutting Lewis and saving cap money, as they have a potential opt out in 2023.
That current salary would be awfully expensive for a 3rd CB for keeping Lewis, if they decide to groom Bland in that role instead.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/jourdan-lewis-21834/

Lewis would be all pro isn’t he ran faster than 4.54 abd was taller than 5’10.

 

[darthseinfeld]

They have two different play styles and it really depends on what you prefer and how our team operates.



Bland is a gambler. He’ll get the interceptions, but he also allows big yardage when targeted moreso than Lewis.



Lewis is more of a Byron Jones lockdown type. He’ll get you and INT from time to time but he’s more likely to just shut down his side of the field/allow short yardage.





If our offense was more consistent and less accident prone, I’d prefer Bland’s type, which gives the ball back to a high powered offense. However, since our offense is inconsistent, we need more Lewis types that can shut down the field and give more TOP to the offense to keep the opposing offense off the field and with as little points as possible. It’s why we won so many games earlier in the season with Rush. Defense shut down opposing offenses, kept them off the field, and even though we didn’t score a lot of points, we dominated TOP and scored field goals and occasional touchdowns to win the game.

You pretty much just listed arch types and assigned two Cowboys to those archtypes based nothing. When has Lewis locked anyone down?

 

[darthseinfeld]

- i see the competition now between Bland vs Lewis for the slot/3rd CB role .. but since Bland is not being asked to take over the outside 2nd CB spot

- which the long leggy Wright is now occupying so i think the search for a long term permanent 2nd CB starting role is still on ....



- Which means expect the team to select heir apparent CB in next year's NFL Draft .... Brown is an UFA and he'll be recovering from an Achilles Tendon

- to which is very troubling recovery for a CB and his role.



- I love how rookie Bland drives forward to make a play on the Ball for INTs, .but i have not seen enuff of him at the outside role to know he can take that role.

the one knock i saw that he needs vast improvement is his ability to run and turn and locate the ball in the air to make the play ..

And we've had too many CBs that have had that flaw.

Your slot CB isnt necessarily your #3 CB. Bland is our #2 CB right now and plays the boundry on run downs and the slot on passing downs. #1 or #2 isnt where you play, its how often you play. If Wright is ine of our boundry CB's next year, he isnt going to be 1 or 2

 

[john van brocklin]

He hasn’t dropped off. He’s still playing great. He gave up a few plays but still is pro bowl level. Did t lamb abuse j Alexander? He just shut down j Jefferson.

His level of play is not as good as it was earlier in the year.
I know he's been sick, so it would be understandable.
He is still good.
Hope he can be great again.

 

[ConstantReboot]

I think so. I’ve never seen Lewis play at this level. Bland s a little faster and bigger. I think we have our 2nd or 3rd corner fir the next 4-7 years. Hopefully he can be as good in the outside.

Bland is better. He is our 2nd best ball hawk DB on the team.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I think so. I’ve never seen Lewis play at this level. Bland s a little faster and bigger. I think we have our 2nd or 3rd corner fir the next 4-7 years. Hopefully he can be as good in the outside.

Could be. Like the looks of him so far. But CBs are very up and down. Maybe the league gets a read on them after they have enough tape.

 

[Pass2Run]

I think so. I’ve never seen Lewis play at this level. Bland s a little faster and bigger. I think we have our 2nd or 3rd corner fir the next 4-7 years. Hopefully he can be as good in the outside.

He was already at a higher level than Lewis in the preseason.

I couldn't understand why we started Lewis at that time, other than to preserve Bland and depth down the stretch, which ended up working out.

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

The real question:
Is Bland the best corner on the team?

If our number one corner keeps falling for double moves at this point of his career then…..:::::

 

[Fastpitch Dad]

No he’s not
Fans under estimate how good Lewis is because ints is all they look at not actual coverage

Agree.

Lewis has done a fantastic job for us when he's not been injured. Another under the radar guy who makes this defense better when he's on the field.

Love the job Bland has done and we got lucky drafting him, like others have posted, I wish we had both for the playoffs.

 

[jterrell]

Not sure why we post stuff like this. --worded like this.

Bland has been really good since camp and is clearly a big part of the team's future DB plan.
After a couple bumpy weeks he has gained valuable experience and is making big time plays.

BUT he almost certainly replaces AB who is out of contract and would be coming back off a major injury, NOT Lewis who has another year on his deal.

 

[quickccc]

Your slot CB isnt necessarily your #3 CB. Bland is our #2 CB right now and plays the boundry on run downs and the slot on passing downs. #1 or #2 isnt where you play, its how often you play. If Wright is ine of our boundry CB's next year, he isnt going to be 1 or 2

- Bland could be playing primarily the slot CB because we simply don't have (or trust) anyone else to play that slot..- even further meaning they've lost faith in 2nd round pick Joseph in playing
that role effectively. i had thought vet MacKenzie Alexander would be asked to be the slot guy, but maybe he was injured in practice.

- Wright is too tall and leggy to be playing the inside slot, thus he's only a scheme fit for the outside boundary- and they desperately need the most able warm body to play immediately.

- Otherwise, what does that tell you that they would dare trust the struggling Wright who had been inactive for much of this season, to suddenly start at the outside CB role ?
Joseph has been game active all year- but he'll only see action in base defense .. if Wright is somehow injured and KJ has to fill in immediately.

- When coaches don't think they can trust their players on the playing field, that's all the more reason why i tend to believe Joseph, as well as Jabril Cox are NOT gonna be on this team next year,
that's strongly assuming this current coaching staff remains.

 

[Fletch]

I think so. I’ve never seen Lewis play at this level. Bland s a little faster and bigger. I think we have our 2nd or 3rd corner fir the next 4-7 years. Hopefully he can be as good in the outside.

Yes.

 

[quickccc]

He was already at a higher level than Lewis in the preseason.

I couldn't understand why we started Lewis at that time, other than to preserve Bland and depth down the stretch, which ended up working out.

Preseason is not a deciding factor in evaluating Bland over Lewis, as we're not gonna see our starters near as much as the developmental guys.
Preseason is really best time for developing players.

Plus developmental guys are going up against 3rd teamers and roster fringe players vying for practice squad spots at best.
And it's just two games at that.

Preseason is not all at stakes time, it doesn't decide standing wins, division races as the reg. season does.
Reg season is where the biggest and best competition from opposing foes will be coming from.
Not preseason.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Would love for him to lock down the CB2 opposite Diggs. Rook has been ballin.



Off-topic: would also love a Byron Jones reunion if the Phins cut him loose this summer.

Big time agree

I'd love a CB room of Diggs, and solid CB2, Bland, Lewis, Byron Jones, and Wright. Can never have too many solid corners.

 

[conner01]

Agree.

Lewis has done a fantastic job for us when he's not been injured. Another under the radar guy who makes this defense better when he's on the field.

Love the job Bland has done and we got lucky drafting him, like others have posted, I wish we had both for the playoffs.

He may be the steal of the draft

 

[JoeKing]

No, but he is already higher level than KJ.

 

[gimmesix]

I think so. I’ve never seen Lewis play at this level. Bland s a little faster and bigger. I think we have our 2nd or 3rd corner fir the next 4-7 years. Hopefully he can be as good in the outside.

I think Lewis is a little better at shadowing receivers, sticking in their hip pocket, while Bland is quite a bit better at breaking on the ball, closing and ball awareness even though his coverage gets a little loose at times. Given that he's a rookie, he's likely to get better at shadowing as he matures.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

He may be the steal of the draft

For the Cowboys? Yes
For the League? No way

 

[jrumann59]

I remember Lewis's 1st couple of years and you could have swore by this site that Lewis was going to be star and being held back by the coaches.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

I think so. I’ve never seen Lewis play at this level. Bland s a little faster and bigger. I think we have our 2nd or 3rd corner fir the next 4-7 years. Hopefully he can be as good in the outside.

Yes i think Bland is a bit better at this point. Lewis has another year left with the Cowboys so he will be playing with added incentive next season. If Bland was to start at CB, Lewis can be in the slot. Or vice versa dependant on camp.