News: USAToday: Secondary Income: Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis, Xavier Woods get raises

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The salary cap is a fickle thing. Capable franchises are able to navigate the rough waters in a number of ways, structuring contracts to maximize the maneuverability of the roster. Some things can’t be avoided. They are also first world problems. In this instance it’s the proven-performer escalator clause that gives bumps to players picked in the third-round or later who meet the required amount of snaps.

For the Dallas Cowboys, this means their salary cap just got a bit more tight. ESPN’s Todd Archer is reporting that defensive backs Xavier Woods and Jourdan Lewis just got $1,500,000 raises. This news won’t come as a shock to the front office in Dallas. It also won’t shock anybody who follows along with Over the Cap, who had this pegged with their projections.

Lewis has been the odd-man out in the Cowboys’ secondary. not fitting former defensive coordinator Kris Richard’s archetype of a cornerback. If it weren’t for the injury to pending free agent Anthony Brown, Lewis might not have gotten on the field for nearly the amount of snaps he did throughout the 2019 season. He played about 60% as many snaps as the two guys ahead of him, Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie, but was involved as the same amount of turnovers as the pair did combined. He also added four sacks.

The other beneficiary of the rule is Woods, the 2017 sixth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech. In no way has he been perfect in his time in Dallas, but he’s proven to be, at worst, an average safety, though he still has his fair share of concerns when it comes to tackling.

The future for these two players on the back-end is unknown. It seemed clear change was needed on the defensive side of the ball, and as the old saying goes a team can’t fire the players.

With a new coaching staff in place, perhaps both players will be utilized better. For Woods that might mean a new partner in crime patrolling the deep part of the field. For Lewis it might just mean being allowed on it.

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