Getty Kelvin Joseph could enter training camp on the roster bubble.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph has underwhelmed since being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft and the former Kentucky standout may be fighting for a roster spot heading into next season. The Athletic’s Jon Machota noted that the Cowboys swinging a deal for star corner Stephon Gilmore means that Joseph may be fighting for a roster spot in training camp.
“Gilmore, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis give the Cowboys a good combination of starting cornerbacks,” Machota wrote on March 20, 2023. “Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright could end up competing for one of the final roster spots.
“Nothing the Cowboys have done should prevent them from drafting another cornerback in the early rounds. Before the trade for Gilmore, it was one of the positions expected to be targeted at Pick 26. It still could be, but there’s not as much immediate need with Gilmore.”
Kelvin Joseph Still Has 2 Years Remaining on a $7.7 Million Contract
Joseph still has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $7.7 million rookie contract and is slated to have a $1.3 million salary for 2023, per Spotrac. The corner played in 16 games last season notching 20 tackles and two pass deflections.
Joseph earned a dismal 49.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his play in 2022 and an even worse coverage score at 44.1. The Cowboys defender fared much better during his rookie season notching a 71.2 grade from PFF.
The Start of Kelvin Joseph’s Career Has Similarities to Trysten Hill
It remains to be seen how much runway the Cowboys are willing to give Joseph before the team is willing to move in a different direction. The start of Joseph’s career is reminiscent of defensive tackle Trysten Hill who the team also selected in the second round (2019). Like Joseph, Hill was unable to live up to the lofty expectations that accompanied being an early draft pick, and Dallas released the defender last November after failing to find a trade partner.
For what it is worth, Hill was in his fourth season with the Cowboys before the front office decided to move on, while Joseph is heading into his third year in Big D. Last season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sent a public message to Joseph indicating it was time for the corner “to get down to business” as the franchise dealt with multiple injuries at corner.
“It’s called ‘go time’ for Joseph,” Jones noted during a December 9, 2022 interview with 105.3 The Fan’s “K&C Masterpiece.” “It’s time for him to become a man and that type [of] terminology. He’s gotta say, ‘It is time now.’ And that happens to young people and he should accept a higher level of responsibility.
“He’s got more people depending on him. He’s got his teammates depending upon him. It’s time for some of the side stuff to ease its way out of his life, and it’s time to get down to business. He’s got a lot of people depending on him. That will make him better. It always does. He’s capable of it, and we thought that when he was going through some of that initial hard times. He’s very talented. He can be a good player for us.”