The Cowboys secondary has talent, but that talent hasn’t always turned into answers on the field. I don’t remember a game last season where I watched a game and thought to myself, “We will be OK.”
That game never happened. If you watched the same team I did, it was like watching the same game every time. Missed tackles, bad angles, and busted coverage, that is what we watched.
The reimagined secondary that’s been created this offseason has my attention.
DaRon Bland, Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker, Cobie Durant, and Shavon Revel will probably be the first five on the field. With those names I can almost see a secondary that can compete.
We will start with DaRon Bland, because if he is fully healthy, he will be the lead outside corner, period.
During his time in the NFL, Bland has averaged 736 total snaps and 457.3 coverage snaps per season, with a 72.3 coverage grade according to PFF. I can live with that body of work.
I’m not expecting Bland to turn into his 2023 form, that was just a ridiculous season, but I also know in the back of my head that it could happen again.
Bland can cover and take the ball away and that is exactly what we need to see this season.
I love Caleb Downs. When that pick came in on draft night, I was jumping up and down in my living room. He is the do-it-all player with the leadership the secondary has needed.
I wouldn’t add Downs and just slot him in as the safety. He is a chess piece to be used in nickle and safety positions. That’s where I think he will make the most impact.
Put this guy over the slot, spin him back deep, walk him into the box, let him blitz. Make the quarterback track him every snap instead of showing your hand pre-snap.
If you watch NCAA football, Caleb Downs put up insane numbers. He averaged an 87.0 defensive grade, 87.8 coverage grade, and an 82.8 run-defense grade in his time between Alabama and Ohio State.
I talked about the versatility of this player, but 306.7 free safety snaps, 288.3 box snaps, and 191.3 slot snaps per season and still putting up those types of grade should tell you all you need to know about Caleb Downs and his do-it-all style.
I don’t know if the Jalen Thompson signing got many people fired up, but it should have because he is a finisher.
The Cowboys have had so many secondary players who look good until it’s time to tackle. Then we watch a normal gain turn into a monster gain. Thompson will help with that.
I love this number 7.3. That is the percent of missed tackles by Thompson. Pair that with a 79.2 tackling grade...
