Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys have several players on the bubble, but one former first-round pick may end up on the outside looking in. Dallas has made a handful of new additions this offseason, and corner Gareon Conley has possibly the highest pedigree of the new crop.
But translating his early potential into NFL success has been a challenge. And while he’s getting a new chance with Dallas, Blogging the Boys writer LP Cruz believes he and Nashon Wright will not make the 53-man roster.
“Left off the roster is Nashon Wright. He is a tall cornerback but is inconsistent when playing off the line of scrimmage. Dallas signed former first-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders Gareon Conley this week, but he missed the cut in this roster projection,” Cruz wrote on June 21.
For context, Cruz named these six corners to make the squad:
- Trevon Diggs
- DaRon Bland
- Jourdan Lewis
- Eric Scott Jr.
- Caelen Carson
- C.J. Goodwin
The trio of Diggs, Bland and Lewis are surefire locks for the roster. Goodwin is probably the most likely after that group to make the 53-man squad, primarily due to his exceptional special teams play.
Carson and Scott represent young, promising depth options as Carson was a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft and Scott was a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft.
Conley Looking for NFL Comeback After Raiders Start
After a four-interception season at Ohio State in 2016, Conley was considered one of the best corners in college football. He entered the 2017 NFL draft, and was then selected as the 24th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders.
Unfortunately, his rookie season with the Raiders was a complete wash. A nagging shin injury kept him off the field for the majority of the year, as Conley only made two appearances.
In 2018, though, Conley showed why he was a first-round selection. The former Buckeye pulled down 3 interceptions and swatted 15 passes according to Pro Football Reference.
But after six starts in the 2019 season, Conley was traded to the Houston Texans for a third-round pick. Conley played well despite the disruption, notching 13 PDs with an interception.
Conley continued to have injury struggles the following offseason, and ended up missing all of the 2020 regular season. At the end of the year, he left the team as a free agent and did not play professional football until 2023.
After impressing with the UFL’s DC Defenders, he is now trying to return to the NFL as he turns 29 years old.
Former Cowboys WR Also Seeking Comeback
Like Conley, former Cowboys WR James Washington is seeking a return to the league. Washington missed the 2023 season due to a jones fracture, but ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler says he is planning to return this fall.
“Wide receiver James Washington is attempting an NFL comeback after missing most of the last two seasons due to a jones fracture,” Fowler wrote on X on June 19. “A second-round pick of the Steelers, Washington has received multiple inquires from teams and could be trying out for them soon.”
Washington’s last season in the league was with Dallas in 2022. He only appeared in two games and did not record a catch.