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When it comes to having success on defense, it usually comes down to the correlation of having a good pass rush and good coverage. One almost always gives way to the success or failure of the other. With no pass rush, it’s hard for defensive backs to cover. With poor coverage, it’s easy for the quarterback to get the ball out quickly, preventing pass rushers from getting pressure.
For the Dallas Cowboys, both spots were addressed in the draft and free agency, but the cornerback situation still has plenty of sorting out to do. Orlando Scandrick and Brandon Carr need reworked contracts, Morris Claiborne needs to stay healthy, and Tyler Patmon has to prove he can play in this league. The cornerback situation could even have an effect on the safety position, with the possibility that a corner could slide back to free safety.
Ideally, Carr will take a pay cut and Claiborne will be ready for training camp and playing like a No. 6 overall pick should play, but those are far from given. If those two do happen, it gives Dallas four solid cornerbacks, which includes first-round pick Byron Jones, of course.
On the other hand, Carr could refuse a pay cut, get released after June 1, and Claiborne could play the way he has for the past three seasons. This would leave Dallas with Scandrick and Jones as starters, and several question marks beyond that.
Clearly, it’s a fragile situation that could either fall apart quickly or be a strength of the Cowboys roster by Week 1. Without Carr or Claiborne playing solid football, Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence and the rest of the pass rushers will need to get pressure regularly — something the Cowboys lacked in 2014.
If Dallas gets Jones, Scandrick, Carr and Claiborne healthy, cornerback immediately becomes a strength of the team — given they all play to the best of their ability. Good coverage will make this team’s pass rush even more dangerous and will make the rest of the defense better. As strange as it sounds, keeping Carr and Claiborne on the field is the key to a strong defense for this team.
