Tag: Jourdan Lewis

WATCH: Cowboys slot corner Jourdan Lewis picks off a screen pass

The Cowboys thid corner is at the top of his game at the moment. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Jourdan Lewis is having himself a great first half. After missing the last half of 2022 with a serious foot injury that kept him sidelined through the entire offseason, Lewis started off the 2023 season slowly. Things have really picked up for him in recent weeks. Last week, in the loss to the Miami Dolphins, Lewis was the club’s best defender, crashing down and stifling both ball carries and receivers.

He’s picked up where he left off in Week 17 against the Lions. After a four-tackle first quarter, Lewis added a fifth. His big play though came a little after. Dallas got ridiculous pressure on a designed screen, but Jared Goff got the toss off. He probably wishes he didn’t because Lewis made an insane break on the ball and dove for the interception.

Lewis had an interception against his hometown Lions last season as well. He’s showing out.

Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis looks to stay perfect against hometown Lions that passed on drafting him

From @ToddBrock24f7: The Detroit native will host his family Saturday night; most of them are still Lions fans. “It’d be sweet to beat those guys,” he said.

The Detroit Lions have a special place in the heart of Jourdan Lewis, but that won’t keep him from doing all he can to shut down their high-flying passing attack on Saturday night.

The Cowboys cornerback is a Motown native who won back-to-back high school championships at Cass Technical and then starred for the Wolverines at Michigan. So of course, he dreamed about suiting up in Honolulu blue as the 2017 NFL draft approached. But the Lions had other plans, selecting Florida cornerback Teez Tabor in the second round and leaving Lewis for Dallas to grab in the third.

It still hurts, just a little bit.

“When you look at the team that drafted a corner when you were coming up, too, when you were in their backyard,” the seven-year veteran explained this week, “it kind of stings.”

Things have worked out for the 28-year-old as a Cowboy, but getting to face his childhood team always makes things interesting. Lewis says he’s arranged for tickets to this weekend’s game at AT&T Stadium for a rather large contingent of the Lewis family.

“All of them,” he joked. “In multiple sections.”

But surprisingly few of them will be pulling for his Dallas team to win.

“All of them are rooting for the Lions, pretty much. My mother-in law roots for me, my wife, and my mom. That’s probably about it. Everybody else is Detroit fans,” he said. “They were Detroit fans before I was born, so I can’t be mad.”

Having a personal career record of 3-0 against the Lions certainly helps Lewis maintain that attitude.

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But this week, he’ll have to contend with the strongest Detroit squad he’s faced yet. Quarterback Jared Goff leads an air attack that ranks fifth in the league in passing yards and boasts a top-5 receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown. And fresh off securing their first divisional crown in three decades, the Lions would love nothing more than to prove themselves worthy of contender status by knocking off the Cowboys in Dallas in primetime.

“It’s good to see them doing well and one of the NFC challengers, but we’ve definitely got to get a win,” Lewis said. “It’d be sweet to beat those guys.”

It would be doubly sweet for Lewis. who had to overcome a very difficult Lisfranc foot injury just to make the active roster this season. (He suffered the injury making his first pick of 2022, in Week 7… against Detroit.) And although he hasn’t snagged an interception yet in 2023, he’s played in every game, to the tune of two-thirds of the defense’s snaps thus far, and he ranks top-10 in team tackles.

And now that he’s set to become a free agent this offseason, every rep matters all the more.

Even if those reps require him to punish the hometown team that passed on him once upon a time, the team his family will still be cheering for Saturday night.

Maybe Lewis should have made his extended clan pay for their own game tickets?

“I’m not going to do them like that,” Lewis smiled. “Seeing them lose is good enough for me.”

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Cowboys-Panthers key matchups for Week 11: Lewis, Gallup must step up

In order for the Cowboys to avoid an upset and better prepare for future games, they should focus on kickstarting these parts of their team, says @ReidDHanson.

Much like the week prior, the Cowboys matchup with Carolina looks like an easy win on paper. The 1-8 Panthers rank at the bottom of the league in most major categories and are outclassed in nearly every major way this week against Dallas. But a few key matchups could go a long way in swinging the balance and ultimately deciding the game.

The Cowboys’ Week 3 matchup with Arizona serves as a painful reminder that things can snowball quickly, and easy wins can become embarrassing losses, in an instant. Dallas must remain mindful of this on Sunday and come out focused on the task. If the Cowboys offense can stay on their current tear, the defense should have no trouble keeping Carolina in check.

Report: Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis to be activated from PUP, placed on 53-man roster

From @ToddBrock24f7: The veteran CB would be eligible to return before Week 5, but his addition to the 53-man roster would mean someone else has to go.

For all the guessing and prognosticating about who won’t be on the Cowboys’ initial 53-man roster at the end of the day, one name who apparently will be there may come as a pleasant surprise.

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis will be moved off the Physically Unable to Perform list and placed on the 53-man roster by Tuesday’s deadline, as first reported by NFL insider Josina Anderson.

Lewis has been sidelined since last season’s Week 7 with a foot injury suffered in a win over the Lions. The seventh-year veteran out of Michigan was told by doctors that his Lisfranc injury- one that displaces one or more bones in the midfoot and results in ligament tearing- was one of the worst cases they had seen in 35 years. Lewis had screws, nuts, and bolts installed to stabilize the foot and had to wear a boot until almost April.

He still has not yet been cleared to practice with the team, but being activated off of PUP would signal that he is close. Starting the season on the list would require Lewis to miss the first four games of the schedule; the Cowboys using a roster spot on him can only mean that they believe he’ll be ready to go before then.

“We don’t want to be on the PUP list,” Lewis said back in June. “I’m going to be rehabbing crazy to make sure I’m not on the PUP list.”

It appears he’s achieved that goal, just the latest in what has been a long comeback.

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Lewis’s presence on the 53-man roster naturally sparks questions about the other Cowboys cornerbacks, most notably 2021’s second-round draft pick, Kelvin Joseph.

The Kentucky product, by many accounts, had his best training camp yet this summer, but the improvements made may have been too little, too late as the Cowboys continue to thin their ranks to the top 53 players.

Check back with Cowboys Wire’s cut tracker for updates throughout the day on the team’s roster moves.

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7 Cowboys veterans who could be on the trade block

A look at several veterans who could command a quality return in trade talks after this weekend’s exhibition finales. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Are the Dallas Cowboys a top-heavy team, or do they have the necessary depth to survive the regular-season gauntlet? It appears on paper the club has several positions where the talent is overflowing, but there are a handful where injuries could cause a major downgrade in performance. The loss of rookies DeMarvion Overshown and John Stephens in Saturday’s exhibition against Seattle proved that point.

Linebacker and tight end are two of the club’s unproven spots and thus losses there seem to be catastrophic to the club’s talent level. Still, other positions seem well prepared for the 17-week grind as long as calamity stays at bay. It feels like Dallas has the ability to move some pieces at certain positions and potentially get plug-and-play returns at other spots of need.

Dallas needs veteran depth on the offensive line, so maybe there’s a chance to flip an asset for a team looking to save cap space there and allow younger, cheaper options to ascend. Maybe there’s some veteran help for Dallas to have as a backup to the youngsters at tight end and linebacker as well. Dallas can use future draft capital to acquire said help, but player-for-player swaps can be more enticing when feasible.

Here’s a look at several players who could be on the trade block following this weekend’s preseason finale against the Raiders.

Jourdan Lewis’ future with the Cowboys appears in doubt

Given the severity of his injury, his cost against the cap and the depth of the position, Jourdan Lewis’ time may be over with the Cowboys. | From @ReidDHanson

It wasn’t unexpected to see Jourdan Lewis’ name pop up on the Cowboys PUP list this week. The seventh-year cornerback suffered a Lisfranc injury in late October which required surgery and a brutal rehab period that was predicted to extend into training camp.

Lisfranc, a midfoot injury that impacts both bone and ligament, is a difficult injury to overcome. As David Moore of the Dallas Morning News described, it required the insertion of screws, nuts and bolts for Lewis, which kept him in a walking boot through March.

Earlier in the summer Lewis spoke of his grueling rehab and how the foot injury essentially requires him to re-learn how to walk. Lewis only started running recently and even that has been restricted by his rehab team.

Even though Lewis suffered a particularly bad Lisfranc injury, it’s not uncommon for the rehab to last as long as it has. Per the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, the median time to return for NFL players was 11.1 months from the time of the injury. Lewis would be lucky to make the median time (mid-September).

This all assumes Lewis returns to the Cowboys.

After struggling significantly with depth at the CB position throughout most of 2022, Dallas has built up quite the unit in 2023. Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore have the top-two spots locked down while players like DaRon Bland, Eric Scott, Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, Myles Brooks and even hybrid DB Israel Mukuamu duke it out for coverage roles behind and alongside them.

Bland was particularly impressive in 2022, leading the Cowboys in interceptions (five) and showing he could be a long-term answer at CB. Even if Lewis bounces back to his pre-injury self, Bland is the favorite to claim Lewis’ spot as the top nickel CB (provided Bland can pick up where he left off in his rookie season).

Mukuamu was also impressive playing in the nickel role last postseason. But since he’s shown the ability to effectively play a deep safety role as well, his role in 2023 may be more fluid or needs-based.

The rest of the bunch are fighting for roster spots and roles. They are all younger, cheaper and healthier than Lewis, so it stands to reason if they show they can be decent solutions, they will get the benefit of the doubt.

Lewis is on the books for $5,872,550. If he doesn’t fit in as a top-three CB, Dallas may not be able to justify his cost. The Cowboys aren’t in need of creating cap space for this season, but they aren’t known to needlessly spend either.

Lewis’ future is likely to be as tied to the field of competition as it is his own health. If young players step up and show they can be viable solutions, Lewis may not have a place on the roster waiting for him.

Lewis’ time on the PUP list could even extend into the regular season to bide the Cowboys time. They saw firsthand how quickly depth can evaporate at CB and may want to have an ace up their sleeve like Lewis in the background in case of emergency. A PUP designation into the regular season guarantees his salary, though.

How this all plays out is anyone’s guess but there is a very real possibility Lewis never plays a snap again for the Cowboys.

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Updates on 4 key Cowboys as training camp nears kickoff

A look at the four-headed monster of participation concerns as the Cowboys embark on a journey out west. Included, why Tony Pollard is different from other tagged RBs. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys are preparing to board a plane to Oxnard, CA so that they can get the ship going in the right direction. On Monday, the club will travel in advance of Wednesday’s start to training camp practice. While things seemed relatively smooth heading into July, things have been shaken up a bit by contract situations that are not ideal for the players in question.

Also, the team has a small number of injury concerns that may or may not impact eligibility to be full participants once the on-field work begins. Check below on the latest updates from ESPN’s Todd Archer on Zack Martin, Jourdan Lewis, Terence Steele and Tony Pollard.

Cowboys corner market with not 1, not 2, but 3 of NFL’s top slot defenders

With 2 of the Top 11 and a third from last year, Dallas’ slot coverage ability may match that out on the boundary, where they have two All-Pros. | From @KDDrummondNFL

There’s no question the Dallas Cowboys boast one of the NFL’s best and most complete defenses. There are playmakers galore both at the line of scrimmage and in coverage. Back in the day, the phrase turn would have been “at all three levels”, but the transition of defensive personnel into hybrid modalities blurs the lines. Dan Quinn is one of the scheme leaders in that respect, favoring linebackers who primarily have edge responsibilities and three-safety groupings that take on roles formerly manned by a third linebacker.

But scheme isn’t enough on its own; having stand outs play their roles well is imperative in getting a defense that ranked No. 3 in DVOA pass defense in 2022 after ranking second in 2021.

The uniqueness of how Quinn places his chess pieces has resulted in them having not one, but two different players identified among the league’s best in defending the slot entering 2023, per Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.

But it’s deeper than that, because one of the two on the 2023 list was an injury replacement for someone who made Farrar’s list in 2022.

Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis named likely cut or trade candidate

From @ToddBrock24f7: The seventh-year veteran is set to make more in 2023 than Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Nahshon Wright, and Eric Scott Jr. combined.

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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Cowboys’ Jourdan Lewis provides vital depth in an unproven CB room

The Cowboys could save significant money by cutting Jourdan Lewis but the depth and leadership he provides the unit is too good to lose. | From @ReidDHanson

For the first time in a long time, the Cowboys are solid at the starting cornerback position. Trevon Diggs is one of the NFL’s biggest young stars and Stephon Gilmore is the perfect veteran presence to pair opposite him.

Add in DaRon Bland, 2022’s surprise nickel standout, and Dallas is looking pretty at the top of their cornerback depth chart. Yet, behind those starting posts, things get dicey for the Cowboys. 2021 draft picks Kelvin Joseph (Pick 44) and Nahshon Wright (Pick 100) were supposed to be pushing for starting positions by now.

The one depth player holding it all together appears to be seventh-year CB, Jourdan Lewis.

Top-100 draft picks are expected to develop into viable starters at some point. Neither Joseph nor Wright have shown they are capable of much more than special teams and spot duty on defense.

If Dallas really thought either was on the cusp of breaking out, they likely wouldn’t have traded for the veteran Gilmore, who makes considerably more and came at the cost of a draft pick.

Rookies Eric Scott Jr. and Myles Brooks could have something to offer. But Scott projects best as special teams weapon early and Brooks is a UDFA so expectations for 2023 should probably be tempered.

Then there are C.J. Goodwin and Israel Mukuamu to factor in. Goodwin is a career special teams player and Mukuamu is still listed as a safety. While Mukuamu can cover nickel CB in a pinch, neither are appetizing solutions should something happen to outside men, Diggs or Gilmore.

For as great as the top of the Cowboys CB depth chart looks for 2023, the bottom is a grab bag of unknowns. Any injury threatens to have significant consequences.

Lewis, a third round pick in the 2017 draft, entered the offseason as a possible cap casualty. With a cap number of $5,872,550, Lewis is more costly than the typical CB4. But given the slow development of players like Wright and Joseph, the depth Lewis provides may be too vital to part with.

Lewis is an aggressive tackler, a capable blitzer and versatile enough to play slot or boundary. Per Pro Football Focus’ tracking, Lewis has 904 career snaps outside and 2,131 inside at nickel. He has experience the Cowboys could use in 2023, even if he doesn’t crack the top-3 (although he could challenge Bland for the top nickel role).

Dan Quinn has spoken glowingly of Lewis in the past and holds him in high regard. Unless one of the aforementioned former draft picks drops jaws in training camp, Lewis is a safe bet to make the final roster.

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