Is The Cowboys Secondary The Worst In The NFC East?
The Dallas Cowboys defense was far from perfect in 2020.
Dallas finished 6-10 last season and the wheels began falling off when Dak Prescott was lost for the year due to a gruesome ankle injury.
And that wasn't the worst of their problems, either.
The Cowboys allowed 29.6 points per game a season ago, which was the fifth-most in the league. Dallas was shredded on the ground, allowing 158.8 yards per game. Their lackluster play on run defense led them to put an emphasis on improving their linebacker unit this offseason, and they did just that with the selections of Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox in the draft, and by signing hybrid safety/linebacker Keanu Neal.
The secondary wasn't much better, but did Dallas do a good enough job of improving it this offseason? Let's see where they stand in the NFC East.
4. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas used second and third-round picks on cornerbacks Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright. Those two will be thrust into a battle for a starting job with veteran Anthony Brown when training camp kicks off on July 22. On the opposite side of the field will be second-year corner Trevon Diggs, who struggled in coverage throughout his rookie season.
Were the Cowboys the worst secondary in the division in 2020? Yes. Was it close? Not particularly.
The Cowboys were torn apart during the early portion of the season and never really rebounded from that brutal start. They believe Joseph and Wright can turn into consistent producers, but growing pains are to be expected (see Diggs). Brown is a versatile corner with experience, but there are too many question marks -- one being Diggs moving forward.
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Dallas will rely on Donovan Wilson and Damontae Kazee at the safety positions with Darian Thompson and Jayron Kearse as depth pieces. While Wilson stood out at times last season, these pieces aren't enough to pull them out of the basement in the secondary rankings.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
Darius Slay was traded to the Eagles last March in an effort to take their secondary to another level. After a year of mixed results, Philadelphia is hoping for more out of its star corner.
The secondary has been an issue for the Eagles for many years. Slay is a true No. 1 corner and has to channel his Detroit days with players such as Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Terry McLaurin all playing within the division. Avonte Maddox will start opposite Slay, unless the Eagles decide to move him inside. Anthony Harris and Rodney McLeod, who might miss the early part of the year recovering from an ACL injury, are slated to man the safety positions.
Overall, the Eagles defense is unimpressive. The front four is the clear strong suit on that side of the ball, especially with the addition of Ryan Kerrigan, while the linebackers are underwhelming.
All signs are pointing toward a long year for the Eagles, and their leaky secondary backs up that notion.
2. Washington Football Team
Washington will enter the season with the best defense in the division. In 2020, the secondary was solid. They were good, not great, but are looking to take that next step this season.
William Jackson is an underrated addition to the secondary. The 28-year-old Houston native has proven himself over the years as a true No. 1 corner who can follow an opposing team's best receiver. An intriguing name to keep an eye on in training camp is third-round selection Benjamin St-Juste. The Minnesota product has made an early impression on the coaching staff and could line up opposite Jackson. If that happens, Kendall Fuller will be able to move back inside, where he is one of the league's best slot corners.
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Collins is coming off an injury while Curl has blossomed into a reliable starter at safety. Jimmy Moreland and Deshazor Everett add depth to the unit heading into the season.
Jack Del Rio will have plenty of options with this defense in 2021. An elite front four have an improved linebacking group and a strong secondary backing them up.
1. New York Giants
That brings us to the Giants secondary. On paper, they have a group that can compete with any team in the league.
Cornerback James Bradberry looked like a star in his first year with the G-Men, and they added Adoree' Jackson this offseason to form one of the best duos in the league at the position. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradberry and Jackson are among the top-12 corners in the league.
Joining them in the secondary is Darnay Holmes, who will contribute in the slot, while Aaron Robinson and Julian Love will also be big factors.
On the back-end, Logan Ryan returns to his safety role alongside Xavier McKinney, who missed most of his rookie season due to a broken leg, while former first-round pick Jabrill Peppers is also in the mix to start.
This is a star-studded group for the Giants. They are certainly a top-10 unit heading into the season and some could argue they are among the top-five.
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