NBCDFW: One Less Reason to Worry About the Cowboys Cornerbacks

[WoodysGirl]

BY Josh Alper // Thursday, Jan 21, 2010 at 02:45 CST

The Cowboys offseason will result in several changes to the roster, either out of need or desire, but they shouldn't do anything to monkey with their top three cornerbacks.

Mike Jenkins had a breakout season and has stepped up into the first tier of NFL corners when it comes to coverage while Terrence Newman is a strong veteran No. 2, even if he has about as much place at the watered-down Pro Bowl as Nick Folk or Shaun Suisham.

You can never have enough good cornerbacks, though, and the Cowboys are lucky because Orlando Scandrick is proving to be up to the task as well.

Scandrick lost the battle for a starting job to Jenkins, but still turned in an excellent season for the 'Boys. His most useful skill turned out to be as a tackler. Football Outsiders compiled a list of cornerback stops -- tackles on completed passes that kept the offense from gaining 40 percent of needed yards on first down, 60 percent on second down, or 100 percent on third and fourth down -- and Scandrick finished second in the NFL with 19. That adds up to 45 percent of the total completions against him, third-best in the league.

You could quibble with the amount of passes completed against Scandrick in the first place, part of what makes this a bit of a flukey stat, but if nearly half of them amount to anything more than a paper cut it is hard to get too upset. He's asked to stop the offense and the way he does it matters less than the fact that he does it. With the Eagles and Giants deep at the receiver spots and the NFL becoming more of a passing league every year, it certainly helps to have a nickel back who can make tackles when the moment calls for one.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/blue-st...y-About-the-Cowboys-Cornerbacks-82277767.html

 

[DaBoys4Life]

**** whoever wrote this.

 

[thechosen1n2]

**** whoever wrote this.

I wont go as far as #### whoever wrote this because I think our CBs are an above average group, but if Scandric was number two he should have been number 1 with as many tackles as he missed this year.

 

[jobberone]

I think we have three good CBs. Alan Ball is a good backup. I'd like to add another CB who can develop into a starter tho.

 

[Hook'em#11]

Dallas has one playmaker in the making. Jenkins

One who has seen his better days but is still decent for Dallas. Newman.

Scandrick??? Hmm. Still ain't sure

Ball??? Jury is still out, got potential. Didn't see him enough really.


I think Dallas still needs to look and there is still reason to worry.

 

[dbair1967]

I like our top 3 CB's. Jenkins is definitely a career probowler in the making. Newman is very good. Scandrick is a good 3rd CB, but for him to take the next step he needs to learn to attack the ball better. Ball is a nice 4th CB/swing safety.

I wouldnt mind seeing another CB added to the mix either. Not early, but in the middle rounds.

 

[adbutcher]

I think we have three good CBs. Alan Ball is a good backup. I'd like to add another CB who can develop into a starter tho.

No arguments here.

 

[big dog cowboy]

We could still use another good CB. A middle rounder spent on one would be the way to go IMO. This is a passing league which demands a good pass rush and good pass cover people.

 

[AmishCowboy]

That's why I was sorry that Mickens didn't pan out, he would have been a nice 4th CB.

 

[tomson75]

I like our top 3 CB's. Jenkins is definitely a career probowler in the making. Newman is very good. Scandrick is a good 3rd CB, but for him to take the next step he needs to learn to attack the ball better. Ball is a nice 4th CB/swing safety.

I wouldnt mind seeing another CB added to the mix either. Not early, but in the middle rounds.

This.

I love our CB talent, but you NEVER stop looking for talent at this position. Like OL, I think it's a position you have to constantly address for depth.

 

[Alexander]

I think we have three good CBs. Alan Ball is a good backup. I'd like to add another CB who can develop into a starter tho.

I agree.

There is nothing wrong with our top three if we decided to skip the position entirely.

People keep repeating that mantra about "not having enough corners". Well, that also does not mean you need to have all four of them be first round draft choices either. You can never have enough WRs. You can never have enough OL. You can never have enough pass rushers. The phrase can apply to many positions.

One thing is this, we spent two relatively solid choices on two other cornerbacks this past draft and came up with nothing. Why keep repeating that mistake? Anyone ready to continue ignoring depth in other areas because of unfounded paranoia about cornerback? Look around the NFL, our three stack up to most everyone else's and in a lot of cases is better.

Fourth and fifth corners can be found late. We found functional players for those roles in Jacques Reeves and Alan Ball in recent years. Just because Reeves was a poor starter does not mean we need starter quality four deep at the position. A high choice at the position would be extremely foolish as it would mean we ignore other depth positions.

 

[burmafrd]

Like the O line and LBs you need to get at least one in every year. even if its a low round or UDFA you need to keep bringing at least one and preferably two in every year to look at during came.