Getty The Cowboys could move on from cornerback Kelvin Joseph.
A former highly touted Dallas Cowboys draft pick may be on the hot seat entering training camp.
As suggested by KD Drummond of Cowboys Wire, cornerback Kelvin Joseph is one player on Dallas’ roster that is facing a make-or-break season. The former second-round draft pick has faced off-the-field issues and the Cowboys are suddenly deep at cornerback after acquiring former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore in an offseason trade.
Drummond suggests Joseph is fighting just to remain on the 53-man roster entering his third season.
“The 2021 second-round pick entered the draft process with character concerns after leaving LSU and then being benched down the stretch at Kentucky,” writes Drummond. “First-round talent is only as good as the effort given and it’s been a rough ride for Joseph. He looked to have made progress towards the end of his rookie season, but an offseason group fight that turned into a homicide (Joseph was not charged) seemed to have impacted him as he regressed to the point Dallas went out and traded for a starting corner (Stephon Gilmore) to play opposite Trevon Diggs. Now a depth piece, Joseph will have to prove he’s worth the roster spot in a suddenly deep CB room where he’s currently, at best, CB5.”
Kelvin Joseph Was Benched During the 2022 Season
The 23-year-old cornerback has struggled to find consistent playing time through his first two seasons. When he was finally pressed into the starting lineup late in the 2022 season due to serious injuries suffered by Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown, Joseph struggled and was quickly benched.
After giving up two touchdowns during a 40-34 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, Joseph was benched in favor of Nashon Wright. Heavy Sports’ Evan Reier detailed just how bad Joseph’s performance was during that late season loss.
“After leading 27-10 in the second half with just over 20 minutes of game time, Dallas gave up three passing touchdowns en route to an overtime loss,” said Reier. “For Cowboys starting corner Kelvin Joseph, it was an especially disastrous performance. Joseph was in coverage on the Jaguars’ two touchdown tosses late in the third quarter, allowing Jacksonville back into the game at 27-24. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence went deep to receiver Zay Jones for the first score, then found Marvin Jones Jr. for the second.”
Just prior to that loss, team owner Jerry Jones had called out Joseph, imploring the young cornerback to “become a man.”
“Time for [Joseph] to become a man,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Dec. 9, 2022. “Accept a higher level of responsibility. He’s got more people depending on him. It’s time for some of the side stuff to ease its way out of his life.”
Why Kelvin Joseph Faces Uphill Battle to Make Cowboys’ Roster
According to Pro Football Focus, Joseph posted an abysmal 49.2 defensive grade and 44.1 grade in coverage last season. Of the nine Cowboys cornerbacks who played last season, those are by far the lowest marks in each category.
Dallas’ current depth chart at cornerback features Trevon Diggs, Gilmore and DaRon Bland as the top three cornerbacks with Lewis and Wright likely ahead of Joseph on the pecking order. That’s not including special teams ace C.J. Goodwin or sixth-round rookie Eric Scott Jr.
In other words, it might take a special showing from Joseph during training camp just to maintain a spot on the roster. The former second-round pick could very well be entering his last training camp with the Cowboys.