The Dallas Cowboys did not have what one would call a good secondary last season. The team ranked 26th in passing yards allowed per-game (251.9), 28th in opposing completion percentage (66.5) and 20th in average yards per-pass (7.5). In other words, Jerry Jones needs to revamp the defensive backs soon.
Will the first man to go be cornerback Brandon Carr? Carr got off to an extremely rough start last year before playing slightly better down the stretch. But can the Cowboys really afford a salary cap hit north of $12 million for an average cornerback?
"Yes, I believe Brandon Carr will be on the roster when the regular season begins," ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer wrote. "Do I think he will make $8 million in 2015? No. It's easy for his agent to posture about not taking a paycut right now, but circumstances and opportunities change after the draft and the longer the offseason goes. For all of those wishing the Cowboys would cut Carr, they don't realize the hole it creates at the position. He's not a bad player. He's just not worth $8 million. He finished the year playing well. There is a spot here for Carr and the Cowboys are a better team with him than without him."
Archer is right to point out the glaring hole Carr's release would create. 2012 first-rounder Morris Claiborne is coming off major knee surgery and hasn't lived up to the hype since entering the league. Orlando Scandrick is less than an ideal replacement.
Dallas has been linked to Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson and UCONN cornerback/safety Byron Jones in the NFL Draft. Yet Dallas will face competition for both players -- the Steelers, Packers & Patriots are all on the hunt for cornerback depth -- and would be better served using them as leverage for a contract restructure with Carr to start out with anyway.