Roster churn in the NFL is constant, and it is unforgiving. How a player has performed in past seasons, how he serves as a locker room leader, the way he represents the team within the community- none of that will reserve a roster spot if the organization can find someone to do the job better or cheaper.
As the Cowboys start to see what they have from their draft picks, new offseason acquisitions, and undrafted free agents, many veterans will find themselves on the bubble, scrapping and clawing for a spot on the final 53.
And even after being starting-lineup staples and solid contributors, some will find themselves packing up their lockers.
Cornerback Jourdan Lewis may well be in a precarious position in Dallas, according to one former league exec.
Jeff Diamond was with the Minnesota Vikings front office for over 20 years and spent the final eight as the team’s general manager before moving to Tennessee to be the Titans’ president for another six seasons. Now with The 33rd Team, Diamond lists Lewis as one of seven notable NFL names who would jump out to a savvy GM as a prime cut candidate.
Of the 2017 third-round draft pick out of Michigan, Diamond writes:
“[Lewis] had several productive seasons at cornerback until he sustained a foot injury and landed on IR after six games in 2022. He’s scheduled to earn $5 million this season in his final season under contract. The Cowboys have Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore as their starters, with last year’s fifth-round pick DaRon Bland playing well (five interceptions and 54 tackles) as the third corner in Lewis’ absence.”
PFF gave Bland a 71.9 grade for his work last season, a better mark than Lewis has ever had as the Cowboys’ nickel corner. Add in the high hopes that the staff still has for third-year man Nahshon Wright plus the early OTA promise of sixth-round rookie pick Eric Scott Jr. and UDFA Myles Brooks, and Lewis may be most valuable to the team now as a trade commodity.
Gilmore can serve as the mentor to the younger guys while also playing a starting role on the field. Lewis figures to be the Cowboys’ fourth-best option at corner but is set to cost more in 2023 than Diggs, Bland, Wright, and Scott combined.
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As for possible trade partners, Jacksonville, Carolina, Minnesota, and New Orleans are all thought to be thin at the cornerback position. Dallas likely wouldn’t expect to get more than a late-round pick for Lewis, but they’d save over $4.5 million by moving him.
The Cowboys already know they have some major contract extensions to work out in the near future- Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, and Dak Prescott among the most pressing- so that cap space could come in handy sooner rather than later.
Lewis, who will turn 28 just prior to the start of his seventh season and the final year of his contract, reportedly was not present for the portion of Thursday’s OTA practice session that was open to the media.
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