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Going into the 2015 NFL Draft, the cornerback position for the Dallas Cowboys was a mess. Drafting the versatile Byron Jones helped immensely, but there are still several unknowns with regards to the team’s current corners.
Brandon Carr will either need to take a pay cut, or he’ll likely be a post-June 1 cut, saving the Cowboys $8 million in cap space. Morris Claiborne has done nothing in three injury-riddled seasons to gain the team’s trust in 2015. That leaves Dallas with Orlando Scandrick and Jones as the only sure bets going into training camp.
On Monday, the New England Patriots released veteran cornerback Kyle Arrington, a player who could be enticing for Dallas to bring in. Yes, his performance and eventual benching in Super Bowl 49 leaves a bad taste in the mouths of fans, but his performance in the slot over the years should not be overlooked.
According to ProFootballFocus, Arrington was tied for fifth in the NFL in 2015 for cover snaps per rec allowed from the slot.
According to @PFF, #Patriots DBs Patrick Chung and Kyle Arrington tied for 5th-best in cover snaps per rec allowed from the slot (12.6).
— Erik Frenz (@ErikFrenz) April 16, 2015
In 2011, Arrington was ninth in the league with 22 passes defended and fourth among cornerbacks with 88 tackles. In 2013, he was tied for second among corners with 14 pass breakups.
Most Pass Breakups in 2013 – Cornerbacks pic.twitter.com/29ok7UKk3C — Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 23, 2014
Scandrick is currently the best slot corner on Dallas’ roster, but with him being the likely matchup for most team’s No. 1 wideouts, he’ll be playing on the outside more than in the slot. Enter Arrington.
Arrington would give the Cowboys much-needed flexibility at the cornerback position, allowing Scandrick to matchup with the No. 1 receiver each week and giving Dallas more leverage with regards to Carr’s contract. And if Claiborne and Carr do come back and play well, it would allow Jones to move back and play free safety. It gets all of the best defensive backs on the field at the same time, which is what every team tries to do.
The Patriots and Arrington reportedly won’t rule out a reunion, it just won’t happen at his current $3 million salary. If Dallas can bring in Arrington — even at the expense of Carr being cut after June 1 — the cornerback position would be getting an upgrade.
