The Cowboys sudden depth at the cornerback position could be seen one of two ways. One way is the crowded room limits opportunities and increases the chances of a fringe player missing the cut. Another way to look at it is the diverse group of talent allows some players to focus on more specialized roles.
For third-year man Nahshon Wright, the depth could ultimately save his job in Dallas.
Since getting drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft, Wright has struggled to carve out a role in Dallas. The linearly-built CB from Oregon State entered the league with a fairly specific skillset. At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds he was one of the tallest CBs in the NFL. With that length came reach advantages but change-of-direction limitations.
Wright’s reach made him a valuable asset on the boundary. He can swallow WRs on the sideline, making windows small and throws challenging. But with that length came a high center of gravity and slow transitions on inside moves.
Wright not only looks scheme-specific, but he also appears to be situation-specific. It’s for this reason the depth at CB could be a blessing rather than a curse.
When the Cowboys added Stephon Gilmore in March, they solidified their starting ranks. Trevon Diggs and Gilmore are locks on the outside while DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis are the top options inside. Barring injuries, Nahshon’s expected to be, at best, CB5 on the 2023 Dallas defense.
With so many versatile and talented options ahead of him, there’s no reason to use him outside of his comfort zone. Dan Quinn can use Wright exclusively in Cover-1 and Cover-3 situations if wants. He can tether Wright to the sideline and deep third of the field. He can play him against other tall players so Wright doesn’t get his weaknesses exposed.
The deep field of talent at CB may limit opportunities but if those opportunities are bad opportunities, then that’s probably a good thing.
Wright still has to get the job done. Even as a former top-100 draft pick, he’s not a lock to make the Cowboys roster in 2023.
The ability to play a more specialized role is only possible because of the talented pool of players around him. That’s undeniably good for the Cowboys and also likely a good thing for Wright.
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