Feb. 5, 2026, 7:00 a.m. CT

The cornerback position has been cruel to the Dallas Cowboys. Not only was Anthony Henry, a disappointing high-dollar CB free agent signing from 2005, thought to be responsible for permanently souring the Cowboys on free agency, but a staggering number of other CB investments have also gone flop over the years.

To make matters worse, a number of castoffs, who Dallas once refused to re-sign, ended up having spectacular post-Cowboys careers. It makes one wonder are the Cowboys terrible CB evaluators, or is bad luck that’s really to blame?

The two most recent CBs the Cowboys have invested significant money on are none other than Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. Diggs, signed to an extension in 2023, was one of the brightest stars of the day when first signed. Two significant injuries later and the only sign of Diggs in Dallas is his $5,882,356 dead money hit.

Bland was of similar status when the Cowboys extended him. Like Diggs, he was a former All-Pro, but unlike Diggs, Bland had a level of versatility and physicality to his game. Both of those elements disappeared from his repertoire in 2025 when injuries transformed Bland into something else entirely.

This goes beyond the players Dallas decided to invest in and extends to the players they allowed to leave as well. Jourdan Lewis, the Cowboys’ longtime nickel CB, took his talents to Jacksonville in 2025 and had a spectacular season. For a while last year, it was Lewis, not Micah Parsons, who was making the biggest impact in his post-Cowboys career. His absence was truly felt in Dallas as the defense struggled to fill that all important inside role. Though Reddy Steward was serviceable, he was no Lewis, so it’s a need that extends into 2026.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

Previous to Lewis is was Nahshon Wright who the Cowboys traded away. Wright never got his footing with Dallas but last year in Chicago, on a new defense, playing a new scheme, everything clicked for the 6-foot-4 boundary man. Wright had a breakout season, pulling in five interceptions and three fumble recoveries for the Bears. Based on Spotrac estimates, Wright is forecasted to be the highest CB earner on the market this free agent period, demanding a deal upwards of $16 million annually.

Before Lewis and Wright, it was Michael Jackson who Dallas let leave. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound fifth-round pick out of Miami was cut his rookie season, but after playing the journeyman role for a few years, he broke out in a big way for Carolina. Over the past two seasons Jackson has posted a combined six interceptions and 26 pass deflections. In 2025 he graded out as PFF’s No. 3 CB in the NFL and the Cowboys never even gave him a chance.

Unlike Jackson, Chidobe Awuzie, a second-round pick from 2017, was given plenty of opportunities with the Cowboys. He started 42 games for Dallas before leaving in free agency. Since then, Awuzie has gone on to have a rather solid career. Out of 111+ CBs graded each season, he’s graded out in the top 15 twice since leaving the Cowboys.

And of course there’s the infamous Charvarius Ward trade for years ago. Ward was traded by Dallas before making a single start, only to go on to become a Pro Bowler and Super Bowl starter. PFF graded Ward CB9 last season, marking his third Top-10 grade since leaving the Cowboys.

For those keeping count at home, that’s three CBs who graded in the top 15 last year and four who all graded above the Cowboys’ top CB, DaRon Bland. All of these options could have been retained and developed locally and rostered at a fraction of the cost Bland and Diggs cost this franchise.

Verdict

As much fun as it would be to roast the Cowboys front office for this horrific misevaluation, it’s impossible to deny luck and circumstances might have played a role in this misfortune as well. Looking back to 2023, Diggs really was operating at the top of his game before his ACL injury. The downhill slide all began with injuries.

Injury likely played a major role in Bland’s terrible 2025 season as well. He was uncharacteristically stiff in his movement, struggling to change direction and get into breaks.

Similar arguments can be made for the development of Ward, Awuzie, Jackson, Wright and Lewis. Some of these players took years to become the players they are today. They experienced different systems and learned under different coaches. It’s fair to say they never would have developed the way they did had they spent their entire careers in Dallas.

If anything, this proves the Cowboys are excellent CB evaluators. They may not develop talent effectively or tailor systems to fit their players’ strengths, but they have a knack for finding stars. Th scouting department should trust their instincts and keep doing what they’ve been doing. The burden is on the front office and coaching staff to make it work.

You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!