Blogging The Boys
Despite joining the Cowboys’ secondary just a few months ago as a free agent, Derion Kendrick is already close to becoming an afterthought. With Dallas’ other moves at cornerback and safety, Kendrick enters training camp with unusually thin job security for a veteran free agent addition.
Years in NFL: 4
Acquired by: Free agency (2026)
Kendrick entered the NFL with red flags from disciplinary issues at Clemson that eventually led to his transfer to Georgia. But after one year with the Bulldogs, which included the 2021 national championship, Kendrick had done enough to remain on teams’ draft radar. His athletic numbers weren’t great, particularly a 4.79 forty time, but his ball skills and short-range coverage ability gave him solid potential as a nickel corner. They were enough to give him drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the Rams.
Kendrick was forced into action quickly during Los Angeles’ injury-plagued 2022 season. He started fives games from Weeks 3-8, then another in Week 13, and played some major minutes in other games during the middle of the year. The Rams went 2-6 in the games where Kendrick had his highest snap counts. Kendrick was benched for the final five games of his rookie year.
He’d return in 2023 to a significant defensive role, playing in all 17 games with 12 starts. But in addition to continued performance issues, Kendrick was arrested in October for illegal possession of a concealed weapon. Charges were eventuallty dismissed, but it was a reminder of the character concerns that hurt his college career.
Los Angeles stuck with Kendrick through the 2024 offseason, but then he suffered a major knee injury early in training camp. He returned in 2025 to compete for his old job, but was released at final cuts. The division-rival Seahawks claimed Kendrick off waivers, and he played in 10 games for them in a down-roster role. He was released after Week 12, and interestingly, was claimed by his former team. He’d play five games for Los Angeles to finish out the year, mostly on special teams.
Despite only being a year removed from his ACL tear, Kendrick was able to improve his performance grades in last season’s limited playing time. Pro Football Focus gave him a 74.7 rating in 2025, a big jump from his 59.7 grade during the 2023 season. Those numbers are a bit skewed by the big disparity in his playing time and situations between those two years, but they at least gave him something positive going into free agency.
Years Left: 1
2026 Cap Hit: $1.3 million
Kendrick’s low stock allowed Dallas to get him at a minimal salary with no guaranteed money. It may be unfair to call him a “camp body” at this point, but he’s definitely not working from a secure foothold.
Role: Backup CB
Roster Chance: 20%
With Dallas having already added Cobie Durant at corner, plus Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke at safety,...
