The Cowboys could field a competitive secondary just with the cornerbacks who might not even be available to start the 2025 season. Injuries to Trevon Diggs, Josh Butler, and Shavon Revel Jr. leave Dallas with hard decisions, wanting to have enough to survive until those three are ready to perform. If none are, could the team add a free agent like Stephon Gilmore or Mike Hilton to bolster the unit?
That’s the biggest takeaway when looking at the position group, but it may not be the most important factor.
DaRon Bland is an excellent starting piece to any secondary. A former All-Pro and the all-time Pick-6 King, Bland is the reason the team isn’t eager to make a move at corner. He will play outside, mostly, but might need to slide inside to the nickel position when opponents boast great slot receivers.
Kaiir Elam is the odds-on favorite to be the other outside corner. The Cowboys traded with the Buffalo Bills for the former first-round pick who started 12 games and played over 900 snaps in Buffalo, but wasn’t a good fit. He brings his talents to Dallas for a second chance while coming off his best season, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He had his best grade in every area this year, with a 70.2 overall, 75.6 run defense, 76.6 pass rush, and 67 coverage grades. If this is his baseline, then perhaps the Cowboys have truly stolen a solid piece who simply took a while to adjust to the NFL.
Caelen Carson quickly went from the next draft-day steal to the latest question mark. He started the first three weeks, showing much promise, but was then injured and wasn’t the same player upon his midseason return. Carson is physical and would be the perfect slot corner in a Matt Eberflus defense, if he can rediscover those opening week talents.
Israel Mukuamu hasn’t seen many snaps since his playoff showcase against Tom Brady a few years back, rotating from safety to corner. He would be in the lead for CB7, dependent upon how the injured group’s roster inclusion is managed.
Kemon Hall, Andrew Booth Jr., Troy Pride Jr., Robert Rochell, and Bruce Harmon will battle for possibly the final spot and try to make an impression before the return of Revel Jr., Diggs, and Butler.
Hall played 124 special-teams snaps for Dallas. Booth Jr. started two games last season and he ended up being benched. Pride Jr. made it to the team late and played solid football in his only start. Rochell is a newly- signed player and is a long shot, just like Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA) Bruce Harmon.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 key injuries cloud Cowboys CB group as training camp begins