Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy celebrates after a big play.
The Dallas Cowboys are in a great position after six games, but one NFL analyst thinks the team should still add to a key position in free agency.
Dallas (4-2) is coming off its first loss since Week 1, but is welcoming quarterback Dak Prescott ahead of the team’s Week 7 matchup against the Detroit Lions. The NFL world has shown love to backup QB Cooper Rush in Prescott’s six weeks away, but the defense has been the key to the team’s wins.
The Cowboys’ defense has allowed just 16.3 points per game, but Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks the team should still add in the secondary with A.J. Bouye being the player suggested.
After admitting that corner Anthony Brown has had a good past few weeks, Ballentine’s logic is that the team should still be ready for injuries or drops in performance by signing the former Jacksonville Jaguars star.
“There isn’t a lot of experience behind Brown and Diggs. If either of them were to suffer an injury, the Cowboys would likely be rolling with DaRon Bland or Kelvin Joseph,” Ballentine writes. “A.J. Bouye is one of the best options left on the free-agent market. The 31-year-old is likely on the downside of his career, but he did make seven starts last year and limited opposing receivers to 7.2 yards per target.”
Bouye may be in his last years as a competitor, but it wasn’t long ago that he was considered one of the best corners in the NFL.
Bouye Carves Out Solid NFL Career, Peaks with Jaguars
After playing his college ball at Central Florida, Bouye entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2013, signing with the Houston Texans. He had understandable growing pains as a rookie, but Pro Football Reference shows he came up in a big way starting in 2014.
As part of 10 passes defended, Bouye brought down three interceptions in 14 games played. He followed with three picks over the following two seasons, but that all was a build-up for his prime 2017 season with the Jaguars.
Bouye reached the All-Pro second team with six interceptions and 18 passes defended, both of which remain his career highs. However, Jacksonville fell away after a successful 2017 season and so did Bouye.
That’s where the corner’s stats don’t impress: after 2017. Bouye hasn’t earned an interception since 2019 and has not registered more than eight PDs since his monster 2017 season. Further, he’s only played 17 games over his past two years with the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.
Does Bouye Make Sense for the Cowboys?
Part of Ballentine’s logic for Dallas signing Bouye would be that they would be better prepared should Brown or Trevon Diggs get injured. While it makes sense, sticking with the group is an equally sensible option.
Should disaster strike the secondary in the next week or two, Dallas still can make a trade before the November 1 deadline. Of course, any additions after that will have to be in free agency.
Signing Bouye (or any free agent corner) can be something the Cowboys do if or when a crisis arrives. In the meantime, Dallas has a formula and a defensive unit that is gelling and playing well. There’s no reason to call in reinforcements just yet.