Inside The Star
The Dallas Cowboys are facing a full-blown crisis at cornerback.
With the 2025 regular season fast approaching, the team’s secondary is rapidly thinning due to a wave of injuries.
If the Cowboys want to remain contenders in the NFC, they must act now—and that means signing a proven veteran like Asante Samuel Jr. or bringing back Stephon Gilmore.
As of the final week of July, the Cowboys are down multiple cornerbacks:
That leaves Dallas with a depleted cornerback room that includes Kaiir Elam, C.J. Goodwin, Andrew Booth Jr., Israel Mukuamu, Kemon Hall, Alijah Clark, and Troy Pride Jr.—a mix of special teamers, young developmental players, and slot hybrids.
None are proven full-time NFL starters on the outside.
This situation is untenable. The Cowboys’ defense already ranked 31st in scoring defense last season and 32nd in red zone defense.
With the NFC loaded with elite wide receivers—A.J. Brown, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Brandon Aiyuk—Dallas cannot afford to roll into the season this thin at corner.
Waiting on players to heal is no longer a viable option. The Cowboys need someone who can contribute immediately, stabilize the secondary, and give new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus more flexibility in coverage.
Asante Samuel Jr. checks all the boxes.
At 25 years old, he brings starting experience, man coverage skills, and the ability to play both outside and nickel.
In 2023, with the Chargers, he posted a 75.6 coverage grade and allowed just 64.7% completions when targeted.
He only played four games in 2024.
Samuels’s skillet fits Eberflus’s scheme, and his ability to mirror outside routes and play the ball makes him a natural upgrade over any current healthy option on the roster.
He offers long-term upside and immediate impact.
If the Cowboys want a known commodity, Stephon Gilmore is the move.
Gilmore started all 17 games for Dallas in 2023, holding quarterbacks to an 83.3 passer rating and earning a 72.3 coverage grade.
Gilmore brings leadership, press-man skills, and trust. He also knows the locker room, coaches, and can pick up the playbook quickly, making him a plug-and-play fit in Week 1.
The Cowboys’ cornerback depth has been wiped out.
Relying on young, unproven players could be the defense’s undoing. Whether it’s the experienced Gilmore or the young Samuel Jr., Dallas must act fast to secure a reliable starter.
The window to fix this problem is now—before NFC quarterbacks start exploiting it.
