Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys have a crowded secondary, which is a good thing for the team, but could be bad news for a former second-round pick.
In 2021, Dallas led the NFL in takeaways, interceptions and interceptions for touchdowns. The fleet was led primarily by corner Trevon Diggs, CB Anthony Brown and safety Jayron Kearse, and all three players to be major cogs in the defense again in 2022.
Someone who may not even see the regular season is Kelvin Joseph. DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Eatman thinks it’s a real possibility that Joseph doesn’t make the final 53-man roster, despite being a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
“As for predictions, I see Goodwin, Wright and Bland all making the team. We’ll see about Kelvin Joseph but at this point, I don’t think it’s a lock, even though he’s a second-round pick,” Eatman wrote. “At safety, I would say Bell will make the team, and then maybe either/or on Mukuamu and Coyle. Keeping 10 DBs will be a challenge, but if they did, it would be Diggs, Brown, Lewis, Hooker, Kearse, Wilson, Wright, Bland and Bell and then maybe Mukuamu/Coyle at No. 10.”
Joseph didn’t make a major impact as a rookie in 2021, and initially was connected to a fatal drive-by shooting this offseason. The Cowboys have confirmed that he’s since been cleared of any wrongdoing, but it does make his standing feel even less solid.
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Joseph’s First Year in Dallas
After four interceptions in nine games in his final year at Kentucky, Joseph’s draft stock skyrocketed, leading to the Cowboys drafting him with the 44th overall pick.
With Brown, Diggs and Jourdan Lewis leading the Cowboys corners, Joseph was never expected to be a week-to-week starter as a rookie. However, a groin injury in the preseason forced Joseph to the injury reserve, causing him to miss the first seven games of the regular season.
From there, Joseph had limited opportunities with mild success. As Pro Football Reference shows, Joseph played just 164 defensive snaps and was targeted just 17 times over that stretch. The 21-year-old corner gave up eight receptions for a completion rate of 47.1% and an opposing QB rating of 82.1.
It’s a lackluster season due to a lack of game time and opportunities, but the numbers show that Joseph did relatively fine for a rookie.
Cowboys CB Injury Could Keep Joseph Around
If Joseph is on the potential cutting block, he’s going to need help to stick around. With the Cowboys announcing that Lewis suffered a hamstring injury on August 17, that could be the difference between Joseph making or missing the roster.
The extent of the injury is not yet known, but DallasCowboys.com states it is unlikely he practices the rest of this week as they evaluate.
“Cornerback Jourdan Lewis limped off the field towards the end of Wednesday’s practice with an apparent hamstring injury,” the site reads. “The Cowboys’ medical staff attended to him for a few minutes. Lewis did not return to practice and it’ll be interesting to see what his status will be moving forward.”
If it’s a slight strain, then it likely doesn’t affect Joseph’s chances. But if it, unfortunately, turns out to be something more serious, Dallas could have to roll with the former second-rounder as Lewis recovers.