Tag: Nahshon Wright

Cowboys trade away another 2021 draft pick, swap CBs with Vikings

The Cowboys have traded former third0round pick Nahshon Wright to Minnesota in exchange for cornerback Andrew Booth.

For the second straight off-season, the Cowboys have made a cornerback-for-cornerback trade as the team is sending Nahshon Wright to Minnesota in exchange for Andrew Booth. The player-for-player swap ends Wright’s tenure with Dallas after he played in 32 games for the Cowboys, starting three times while recording one interception.

Wright was selected in the third round, No. 99 overall, in the 2021 NFL draft. While some saw the selection as a reach, Dallas and then defensive coordinator Dan Quinn viewed the 6-foot-4 corner out of the University of Oregon as a player who could potentially provide valuable depth to a young secondary.

Minnesota selected Booth in the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2022 NFL draft. The former Clemson Tiger was viewed as a potential first-round pick but fell into the second because of a sports hernia injury.

In his first two seasons with the Vikings, Booth struggled to stay healthy. A torn meniscus ended his rookie season prematurely and he saw game action in just six games, recording under 100 total snaps.

Last season, Booth saw action in all 17 games, but with only one start. His third training camp with the Vikings had him buried on the depth chart and the writing may have been on the wall for the 23-year-old defender.

Dallas will absorb roughly $400,000 in additional salary but have an extra year on his contract to figure things out.

Dallas’ newest addition has an uphill battle. All-Pro cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland form possibly the best duo in the league while veteran cornerback Jourdan Lewis figures to be the team’s starting slot corner.

Rookie corner Caelen Carson and second-year man Eric Scott have quite possibly locked up roster spots meaning Dallas hypothetically would have to carry six cornerbacks for Booth to make the squad.

Cowboys have cornered the market at just under 8% of 2024 salary cap

The Cowboys are top heavy in their cornerback room, opening the door to help in free agency or the draft. | From @ArmyChiefW3

For a long time, the Cowboys were a struggling secondary when it came to getting interceptions. From 2015 through 2020, they never picked off more than 10 passes in a single season, and doing that only twice in the span. Then, in 2021, All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs did that by himself with his his league-leading 11 picks while the team totaled an amazing 26. 17 of those turnovers came from the cornerback room that season. In 2022, Dallas had 16 interceptions as a team while 2023 added another 17 making it three straight seasons in which Dallas ranked in the top 10 in total interceptions.

Wondering if Dallas can do it again under a new scheme is a valid question with Dan Quinn in Washington and Mike Zimmer taking over the defense and changing the playbook. Another question ishow much depth Dallas really has looking beyond their two projected starters. Five players under contract means the Cowboys have a sneaky need at the position and questions linger after the top two guys. Nonetheless, the current corners in Dallas rival another group for the best-managed room on the roster.

LOOK: Every player drafted in the NFL during Jonathan Smith’s era at Oregon State

Check out every player that was drafted into the NFL during new MSU HC Jonathan Smith’s tenure at Oregon State:

New Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith is known as a program builder and someone who can develop players at a high level. He has shown the ability to elevate the talent that he recruits, a quality Spartan fans are very excitedly looking forward to.

At Oregon State, Smith was able to really turn the development up on a plethora of offensive talent at Oregon State leading to a handful of draft picks in his six year tenure in Corvallis. Of his eight draft picks, seven have seen significant snaps and game action in the NFL, which is impressive to his development acumen.

Check out who got drafted into the NFL during Smith’s tenure at Oregon State:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

55-man roster, Week 6 elevations reveals 6 different Cowboys moves

A look at the Cowboys’ roster they’ll choose from for the Week 6 battle against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dallas Cowboys made an acquisition this week, moved a player to IR and yet somehow they didn’t do much of what was expected. It appeared, in their embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers, they lost three key players to injury for a lengthy period of time. Yet when looking at the injury report and transactions for the week, things didn’t unfold as expected. Until gameday.

Leighton Vander Esch and CJ Goodwin were ruled out of this game on Saturday, yet they stayed on the 53-man roster until moving to IR on Monday. The IR move of the early week went to TE Peyton Hendershot, who missed last week’s game after a mid-week ankle injury. His spot on the roster was taken by veteran Sean McKeon. WR Kavontae Turpin was though to be seriously injured, but he was a full participant by the end of the week and carries no game designation.

The club added a linebacker to the practice squad during the week, but Rashaan Evans isn’t ready to suit up and wasn’t one of the game-day elevations on Monday to face off against the Los Angeles Chargers. Instead, the club elevated a running back and a different linebacker, bringing up Malik Davis and Malik Jefferson.

After finally moving Vander Esch and Goodwin to IR, the club promoted UDFA rookie edge Tyrus Wheat and activated cornerback Nahshon Wright from IR. Here’s a full accounting of the club’s 55-man roster before inactives are announced.

Quarterbacks (3)
Running Backs (5)
Wideouts (6)
Tight Ends (3)
Offensive Tackles (3)
Offensive Guards (4)
Centers (2)

Defensive Ends (5)
Defensive Tackles (5)
Linebacker (4)
Cornerbacks (6)
Safeties (6)

Special Teams (3)

Cowboys activate Nahshon Wright’s 21-day practice window

From @ToddBrock24f7: Nahshon Wright has been out since a preseason ankle injury; his return could aid the Cowboys secondary as well as special teams.

Nahshon Wright is creeping ever closer to making his 2023 debut.

The Cowboys cornerback was designated to return from injured reserve on Thursday, allowing him to practice for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain in the team’s Aug. 12 preseason game versus Jacksonville.

Dallas now has 21 days to evaluate the the 2021 third-round draft pick and either sign him to the active roster or place him on season-ending IR.

The Oregon State product practiced in full on Thursday.

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Apart from the depth he provides at the cornerback position, Wright’s return could be a tremendous help to Dallas’s special teams squad, which saw standouts C.J. Goodwin and KaVontae Turpin hurt in Week 5’s loss to the 49ers.

Wright played on over a quarter of the Cowboys’ total special teams snaps in 2022.

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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.

CB depth could actually be good for Cowboys’ Nahshon Wright

The Cowboys are fortunate to have a deep and talented field at the CB position and that could be seen as a good thing for Wright, too, says @ReidDHanson.

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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Nahshon Wright, Kelvin Joseph moving in opposite directions for Cowboys

The two young Cowboys cornerbacks entered the NFL together with much different expectations and dynamics. | From @ReidDHanson

When the Cowboys drafted Nahshon Wright with pick No. 99 in the 2021 NFL Draft, Cowboys fans erupted in displeasure. A bona fide “reach” to the draft community, Wright was tabbed by many as the worst pick in the draft class.

Kelvin Joseph didn’t command such universal disdain when he was selected 55 picks earlier. Joseph, who did have red flags, was still regarded as one of the best raw cornerback prospects in the draft who had legit “boom” potential. All anyone could see in Wright’s future was “bust.” My, how things can change.

Nearly two years into each of their respective professional careers, the draft classmates are on opposite trajectories; Wright moving into a starting role and Joseph on the cusp of losing his game-day active status altogether.

After a tumultuous offseason and wildly inconsistent training camp, Joseph began the season as a special teams player and developmental prospect. When injuries to Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown forced him into the defensive starting lineup, Joseph disappointed.

After allowing 219 yards, four touchdowns, a 66.7 completion percentage and 147.9 passer rating, Joseph was benched, making way for the once-maligned Wright.

Wright has been far from flawless, but he’s taking steps towards competence and even recorded the first interception of his career. Wright has shown awareness on the field and a willingness to step up against the run.

Wright may not be the forever-solution at CB2 but he’s the best solution the Cowboys have at the moment and likely the best man for the job as Dallas marches to the playoffs.

Joseph, on the other hand, has become such a liability he may be too dangerous to even play on special teams. The postseason, just two weeks away, is a time when margins are slim and every error has the potential to tip the balance.

The story is far from over for these two young cornerbacks and anything can happen going forward, but right now they are on opposite trajectories and it’s playing out far differently than most once imagined.

‘Just made a play’: Cowboys CB Nahshon Wright sealed win, emptied Titans’ stadium with first INT

The 2nd-year CB picked a great time for his first pick as a pro, snuffing out a Titans rally and helping seal the Cowboys’ win in Tennessee. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Having just gone up by two touchdowns with six minutes to play, the Cowboys defense needed someone to step up.

Nahshon Wright stepped WAY up.

The 6-foot-4-inch cornerback went much higher than that, looking like he got launched off a trampoline as he snared Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs’s pass out of the air on its way to wideout Robert Woods in Cowboys territory. Wright’s first interception as a pro helped to snuff out a possible Titans rally and eventually seal the Cowboys’ 12th win of the season.

But the 24-year-old, making his first start of the year, took the moment in stride as he spoke with reporters after the 27-13 win.

“I just made a play when it came my way,” Wright said at his locker Thursday night. “That was all, that was it. He just threw it; I went up and grabbed it.”

Wright became the eighth Cowboys defender to log an interception this year, giving the team 15 picks on the season, a mark that’s third-best in the league.

But the 2021 third-round pick out of Oregon State contributed more than just that well-timed takeaway. He also led the team in tackles on the night.

Not bad for a guy who had logged just 59 defensive snaps on the year entering the Week 17 contest.

“It was a zone coverage. I was able to get my eyes back to the quarterback; I originally thought he was going to scramble. But he just threw it up in my area, and I went up and grabbed it,” Wright explained.

“It was an outstanding play that you can make with his skillset, and that’s always been the thing for him,” owner Jerry Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan. “Once he gets his confidence, once he gets his technique that you get with more experience, then [we knew] his skillset, his height, his length would make him a unique corner for us. I think that’s coming, and I was proud to see him get it.”

The Oregon State product was pressed into extra service after season-ending injuries to cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown and less-than-impressive play from fellow second-year corner Kelvin Joseph.

It wasn’t perfect by any stretch. According to PFF, Wright allowed seven catches on 10 targets, giving up 105 yards (including the evening’s longest play, a 39-yard reception to little-used wide receiver Racey McMath) and the Titans’ lone touchdown.

But with an increasing number of snaps over each of the past four weeks and a bit of confidence under his belt, Wright now looks to keep trending upward in the Dallas defense.

“Nahshon just continues to battle with every opportunity he gets,” head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the game. “He’s clearly one of the guys you point to to take the second-year jump. I think we’re seeing that. But he needs to take another step. We’ve got another game, and we still want to be able to play and get some rhythm with our defensive personnel. I think we were more fluid this week than we were last week, and that’s definitely a big step in the right direction.”

Wright’s timely interception spurred Titans fans to take steps in the direction of the Nissan Stadium exits on Thursday. But the youngster had no idea his pick had caused a mass exodus until a reporter told him afterward.

“For real? I didn’t know. I was still locked in.”

Locked in. That’s a good place to be for a cornerback, and right where the Cowboys would like Wright to stay for the upcoming playoff run.

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WATCH: Nahshon Wright rewards Cowboys for playing time with acrobatic INT

The strong play of Nahshon Wright is right on time for the Cowboys and now he has his first career interception on a leaping grab. | From @CDBurnett7

Not too long ago, cornerback Nahshon Wright looked like a third-round reach. In his second season, the Oregon State product was left on the bench in Week 1, not even seeing special teams snaps, and then was inactive for nine of the next 11 games. He saw his first defensive snaps of the season in 14; a grand total of two of them. But one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity. The Cowboys gave Kelvin Joseph a chance to win the second boundary corner spot but he was unable to secure it, allowing Wright to step into the role against the Eagles in a big spot in Week 16.

The former Beaver wasn’t picked on, a rare occasion for Dallas corners across from Trevon Diggs and the strong play traveled to Tennessee. Late in the fourth quarter, Titans quarterback Josh Dobbs tried to lob a pass downfield but the 6-foot-4 Wright used his length to fly up for the first interception of his career.

Heading into the playoffs, Wright looks ready to be a contributor for a Dallas defense in need of youth stepping up. Combined with Diggs and DaRon Bland, the Cowboys appear to have been forced into a youth overhaul that will be relied upon to help Dallas progress.