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Help is on the way for the Dallas Cowboys as the team is signing former Atlanta Falcons starting cornerback Kendall Sheffield after losing Jourdan Lewis for the season, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Sheffield will begin his Cowboys tenure on the team’s practice squad.
“The Cowboys are expected to sign free agent CB Kendall Sheffield to their practice squad, source said, as the former Falcons and Texans defender is potential help given the loss of CB Jourdan Lewis to foot surgery,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted on October 25, 2022.
Sheffield started 20 games for the Falcons during the 2019 and 2020 seasons notching 97 tackles, six pass deflections and two forced fumbles over those two years. Most recently, Sheffield played in nine games for Atlanta in 2021 and signed with the Texans over the offseason. The veteran corner earned a 64.2 grade from Pro Football Focus for his play last season.
Houston released Sheffield on October 11 and now the veteran corner will help provide depth for the Cowboys in Lewis absence. The cornerback underwent season-ending surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury, per The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.
“Some news from last night Cowboys nickel corner Jourdan Lewis underwent surgery for a Lisfranc injury,” Watkins tweeted on October 24. “A person with knowledge of the injury told @SportsDayDFW. Lewis season is over.”
Could the Cowboys Trade for a Veteran Corner?
The Cowboys have attempted to downplay the team’s chances of making a trade ahead of the November 1st deadline. It will be interesting to see if Dallas changes their tune after losing Lewis for the season.
ESPN’s list of potential corner trade candidates include the following players: Kenny Moore (Colts), Caleb Farley (Titans), William Jackson III (Commanders), Amani Oruwariye (Lions) and Sidney Jones IV (Seahawks). The Athletic’s Jon Machota reported that the Cowboys could opt to lean on rookie DaRon Bland in Lewis’ absence rather than make a deal.
“With Lewis out for the season, the Cowboys will turn to rookie DaRon Bland to be their starting nickel cornerback,” Machota wrote on October 24. “The fifth-round pick started for Lewis in Week 4. He had three tackles, a pass breakup and an interception in that game. Bland was impressive throughout training camp and the preseason, but there were few opportunities for him with veterans like Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown and Lewis in front of him on the depth chart. The expectations are high for Bland moving into a starting role.
“The Cowboys’ next two CBs on the depth chart are second-year players Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright, who are both a better fit on the outside. Lewis’ injury could also lead to Dallas looking for depth options outside of the building, potentially before the Nov. 1 trade deadline. That route is unlikely, but shouldn’t be completely dismissed.”
Quinn on Lewis: ‘There’s a Dude Behind That Injury, Too’
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn began his October 24 press conference with a moment of vulnerability admitting Lewis’ injury is a difficult loss for the unit. Quinn noted that Lewis’ absence is “a hard one for us to deal with but we certainly will.” The Cowboys defensive coordinator has familiarity with Sheffield from their time together in Atlanta.
“First, let me just talk about the dude and all that Jordan means,” Quinn explained. “He really represents all the stuff I love about our defense. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s a dog-a** competitor. He brings it. He’s a great teammate, so he will be missed. And it’s easy sometimes to say coaches cliches ‘next man up’ and that but there’s a dude behind that injury, too, and we’ll miss him, we love him. And so, that’s a hard one for us to deal with, but we certainly will. But I did want to recognize all that he has [done]. He’s such a fun competitor to be around. He’s an absolute blast to coach, so we’ll miss him.”
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