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The Dallas Cowboys are predicted to move on from cornerback Kelvin Joseph by an ESPN insider.
According to a 53-man roster projection by Todd Archer of ESPN, the 2021 second-round draft pick could find himself on the outside looking in by the time the regular season starts. Archer predicts that six cornerbacks will make Dallas’ opening day roster in September, mentioning Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis, Eric Scott Jr. and Nahshon Wright.
Kelvin Joseph’s Roster Spot May Hinge on Jourdan Lewis’ Injury
While Archer predicts Joseph to be left out, he mentions one important caveat — Lewis’ recovery from a Lisfranc injury could allow the third-year cornerback to sneak on the 53-man roster.
“Diggs and Gilmore give the Cowboys their best cornerback tandem in years,” writes Archer. “Bland led the Cowboys in picks last season as a rookie (five). Lewis could open the season on the physically unable to perform list because of a serious foot injury, which could open a spot for Kelvin Joseph, a 2021 second-rounder who has not found a foothold his first two years.”
Lewis — who previously served as the Cowboys’ nickel cornerback in recent seasons — suffered a Lisfranc injury in Week 7 that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He’s still recovering from the injury as he was placed on the PUP list to begin training camp.
As noted by Jerry Trotta of FanSided’s The Landry Hat, Lewis starting training camp on the PUP has been the expectation all along.
“Lewis starting camp on the PUP has been the expectation all along,” writes Trotta. “As of mid-June, the former third-round pick had just recently started running and was only cleared for straight-line sprints. He’s likely added lateral movements to his rehab since then, but it might be a few weeks — if not longer — until Lewis is cleared to practice.”
Kelvin Joseph Lost Starting Job After One Week Last Season
If Lewis’ injury slows him down during training camp and the preseason, the biggest winner in all of this is Joseph. The Cowboys’ top three cornerback slots are all but locked up with Diggs, Gilmore and Bland as the starting corners with the last two or three spots up for grabs.
C.J. Goodwin — a longtime special teams ace who has been a member of the Cowboys since 2018 — would then become Joseph’s biggest competition for the No. 6 (and last) spot at cornerback. Considering the NFL’s new kickoff rule changes that will likely result in more fair catch opportunities for returners, special teams players are becoming less valued with each passing year. That could end up benefiting Joseph.
The 2021 second-round pick saw valuable playing time last season as a result of injuries to Lewis and former Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown. In fact, he temporarily served as a starter in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, Joseph’s performance was so bad after a disastrous performance in the loss — he allowed two touchdowns as the Cowboys blew a 27-10 second half lead — that he was benched in favor of Wright.
Joseph not only lost his starting job after one week, he was essentially eliminated out of the defensive game plan moving forward, appearing in just two snaps during the last three weeks of the season. He saw zero snaps on defense during the postseason.
While Joseph has obviously struggled to live up to the hype that led to his second-round draft selection, Lewis’ injury might lead to him gaining a spot on the roster. However, if Lewis proves to recover from his Lisfranc injury and gets moved off of the PUP list before the season starts, Joseph’s days in Dallas could very well be numbered.
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