The Dallas Cowboys' cornerback room is tough to evaluate. They boast a strong group of players, including two All-Pros, but they are already dealing with a ton of injuries and the season hasn't even arrived. Trevon Diggs, highly respected rookie Shavon Revel Jr., and quality depth corner, Josh Butler, are all trying to work their ways back. This leaves the front office looking ahead and believing they'll be good, but the coaches might want one more healthy body to ensure quality play at the position until the cavalry arrives.
While the options are plentiful, one player Cowboys fan base has wanted since 2021 hit free agency, and strangely Asante Samuel Jr is still on the market. The 25-year-old playmaker averaged two interceptions and double-digit pass breakups in his first three seasons before injuring himself four games into the 2024 season. Is he the option Dallas should consider bringing in?
The Cowboys need help at slot corner, more than anything else. DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, Revel Jr., and Butler are all better cornerbacks on the outside. Unfortunately, though Samuel Jr. is the size of a slot corner at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, but he doesn't have much NFL experience there. He has less than 40 snaps inside, so coming into Dallas, he would be changing positions in a way. He is also coming off an injury, the same one as Butler and Revel Jr. What would be the point in signing another injured corner when so many healthy options are available to sign?
New defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has a preferred style of corner he likes on his defense. He wants them to be a part of the run defense, and Samuel Jr. has never had a run defense grade over 60, with grades of 46.7 and 29.5 against the run the last two years. His missed tackle percentage those seasons were 16% and 18.8%, respectively. Eberflus isn't throwing an inexperienced slot corner without the ability to play the run into the starting lineup. Samuel Jr. isn't a bad corner, and could be one of the best available, but he isn't a good fit here.
