Leading up to training camp 2010, Blue-Star takes an in-depth look at the Dallas Cowboys' cornerbacks.
The Good: Around this time last year, Mike Jenkins said that he was disappointed in his rookie campaign. After a season-long coming-out party and a Pro Bowl appearance as a reserve, though, there are few around town who would utter "disappointment" and "Mike Jenkins" in the same sentence. The kid out of USF is an all-around good corner, with no readily-apparent weakness.
Terence Newman was good as well, earning a second career Pro Bowl berth with 57 tackles, three forced fumbles and three interceptions, though he had one glaring weakness (see "Bad" section).
Orlando Scandrick weathered an utterly unfortunate performance against the Giants in week two, and finished the season strong. After suffering a shattered finger in OTAs, Scandrick should be ready to return by the beginning of training camp.
The Bad: Newman's tackling was, to put it lightly, god-awful at times last season. Also, considering his age--Newman will turn 32 in September--and history of injuries, there's some cause for concern over durability.
The (Near) Future: Moving into 2010, Dallas has a fairly enviable situation at corner: a smart, Pro Bowl-caliber veteran on one side, and a still-developing Pro Bowl-caliber stud on the other.
Scandrick was increasingly impressive covering the slot, and there's little reason to believe he won't continue to develop in 2010. Safeties Alan Ball and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah--a 2010 draft pick--can play corner if necessary, which should mitigate some of the concerns over depth.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Get the latest Dallas Cowboys news direct to your phone with Blue Star SMS alerts. Text "bluestar" to 622339 (NBCDFW) to subscribe to this free service. Read more about it here.
