With NFL Free Agency rapidly approaching, the Dallas Cowboys are preparing for one of the busier times of the offseason. The Cowboys checked their biggest box of the offseason off by signing Dak Prescott to an extension. Next, they followed up with a number of moves to improve their salary cap situation.
Now, the Cowboys must address their biggest weakness — defense. In particular, the secondary for Dallas is among the focal points of the offseason. With this in mind, here are five free agent cornerbacks for the Cowboys to target during free agency.
Cowboys Cornerback Free Agent Targets
Kevin King
There are a lot of connections between Dallas and Kevin King. Not only was Mike McCarthy the coach of the Packers when they drafted him out of Washington, but the Cowboys came very close to selecting him instead of Taco Charlton in 2017.
I’ll admit, King has not had the most impressive career to this point, but I’m also not sure Green Bay’s defense ever fit with his skill set. Yes, new Cowboys’ DB coach Joe Whitt Jr. was part of McCarthy’s staff when King was brought in. However, after a year of working with Dan Quinn in Atlanta, I’m hoping he’s grown comfortable with the coverage scheme that resembles what Quinn was part of in Seattle because King’s size and athleticism could flourish in it. King did have a five-interception season in Whitt’s last season with Green Bay, in which he also knocked down 15 passes.
Ahkello Witherspoon
Ahkello Witherspoon was consistently touted as a breakout candidate during his time in San Francisco, but he never quite lived up to the hype. He only has four interceptions in four years and 18 passes defensed in 47 career games. A college teammate of Chidobe Awuzie, he too has the kind of size and athleticism that can thrive in Quinn’s defensive scheme. Also, like King, he would be an affordable option with starting experience. Some may think Witherspoon’s former-teammate, Richard Sherman, may be a better option. However, I favor Witherspoon’s youth and untapped potential in Dallas.
[sc name=”nfl-fa-date” ]Kevin Johnson
Yet another former-top pick that hasn’t lived up to his draft slot, Kevin Johnson is a guy that has played on three teams in the last three years. Still, he’s started games for every team he’s played for, and he has the versatility to play outside or in the slot. Johnson may not have the size of the previous two, but the Cowboys did do a lot of homework on him in 2015. He’s also got enough size to work in Quinn’s scheme.
Justin Coleman
Justin Coleman has four career interceptions, with three of which coming during his time in Seattle. That time may have been after Quinn’s tenure, but he was still in the same coverage scheme. Coleman has made his living primarily in the slot, and that is a role that is up for grabs in Dallas. Sure, Jourdan Lewis or Chidobe Awuzie could be re-signed to fill the role. Still, Coleman is another veteran option that could be looking for a better situation after two years of struggling to win in Detroit.
Brian Poole
Poole is another slot player with ties to Dan Quinn. Poole’s first three years in the league were in Atlanta with the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator. There, he had his best season in 2018, which made him a hot commodity that the Jets scooped up for two years. Overall, he’s totaled seven interceptions and 31 passes defended in his five years and would be a valuable addition to the secondary for the right price.
