Cornerback Jourdan Lewis brought excitement with him when he was drafted and fans loved his potential.  His exciting plays at Michigan were on their minds and the hope was he would bring that magic to Dallas.  Going into year 3, there is no magic and Lewis is in limbo on this Cowboys’ roster.

Since Lewis doesn’t necessarily fit the player defensive backs coach Kris Richard likes, Lewis has found himself on the outside of the playing rotation.  The team even used him on offense to just utilize his athletic abilities.  Now with some intriguing prospects added during the off-season, how long will Lewis last in defense?

For at least 2019, Lewis might be safe, especially with Byron Jones a question mark to start camp.  This could be a chance for Lewis to make a name for himself. Problem for Lewis is that the Cowboys drafted a corner in the fifth round that has the qualities that Richard wants.  In comes former Miami cornerback Michael Jackson, a long corner that has already had coaches intrigued with his play.  Could Jackson push for more playing time than Lewis?

Right now, Lewis still makes the roster and I think could make an impact for the 2019 season.  Here is how the cornerback position could look after training camp.

1. Byron Jones: The former first-round pick had his best season in 2018, but towards the end of the season he started to lose some momentum.  It doesn’t help matters that he is still recovering from his surgery. While his job as the number one corner is safe, he needs to put on a show this season and add picks because he will be a free-agent after this season.

 

2. Chidobe Awuzie: The second-year corner wasn’t is best to start the season.  He did have a lot of pressure since most quarterbacks were picking on him then throwing to the other side where Jones was playing.  Yet, as the season went on, he got much better and even made some plays on the ball.  In year 3, he is clearly the number two corner on this team.

3. Anthony Brown: Brown is the ultimate competitor and player with a chip on his shoulder.  Knowing his job was at stake, he overtook Lewis to carve out a role as the primary slot-defender. Brown will again hold on to this spot.

 

4. Jourdan Lewis: This is a make or break year for the young player.  Lewis making some plays, including some big picks could help make his case to stay on the team.

 

5. Michael Jackson: The young corner is exactly what Kris Richard wants in his men.  Jackson will make a big push this season and get some crucial playing time and maybe even push Lewis out.

 

One thing goal for this group going into training camp is to make sure they are getting those picks!  The lack of turnovers, especially from the secondary, has been very concerning.  Showing that you can be a ball hawk might help you jump up on the roster.

AS for now, it looks like Jourdan Lewis still makes the team.  Yet, his play in preseason will go a long way to determine his future on this roster.  He could make the team and a young player still pass him on the depth chart.  For now, Lewis better hope he can replicate the magic he had in college.