Via David Helman
Writer of FOX Sports Dallas Cowboys
OXNARD, Calif. – With all due respect to so many formers Cowboys defensive back, something feels different in 2022.
It used to be like a summer rite of passage to go to the West Coast and watch this team’s receivers perform. From Dez Bryant and Miles Austin to Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lambmost recently last year to see an extended Dallas training camp take over.
As for the record, Lamb is playing well in his third NFL training camp. But this time around, it feels like a fairer fight, because, for all the criticism the Cowboys secondary team has received over the past decade, this game opened camp in The higher the level the better.
“I feel like the defense is finally catching up, and we can finally match the attacking behavior with flash plays and scoring and everything,” said Anthony Brown.
Brown is the perfect person to ask about secondary. Make a list of Cowboys players enjoying the best first week of camp, and that’s where the seventh year corner is better off. He chose Dak Prescott on the first day of training and he’s been trying to maintain that form or form for the past week. On Thursday, he showed his resilience by regaining a lost step on KaVontae Turpin and disrupted an encounter that was supposed to happen.
It’s worth noting that Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy took the time to say that Brown – often the subject of criticism from fans as well as the media – is often underestimated.
“I think he’s the one who should get more love from you guys. Just a suggestion,” McCarthy said. “I think he’s done a lot of good things. But more importantly, he’s very, very consistent. What I love about AB is that he’s still the same guy every day.”
But it’s not just Brown. Clear, Trevon Diggs deserves mention, as he looks to build an All-Pro pick for his first team in 2021. But even after a season of 11 interceptions, there’s still plenty of debate about Diggs how it plays a role in the dissection order of NFL cover guys.
Returning to the Brown issue, Diggs said the Cowboys’ secondary team feels forgotten. Perhaps everyone is holding their breath to see if the league-leading defense with 34 saves – including 17 interceptions from corners – can do it again.
“All of us, we’ve done a lot, we just haven’t gotten the respect we need,” Diggs said. “It’s nobody’s fault. We just have to go out there and show what we can do.”
Interestingly, there shouldn’t be much of a learning curve. Dan Quinn will be back for another trip as defensive coordinator, meaning the scheme remains largely the same.
Quinn is said to have offered to leave the Cowboys
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn told USA Today that he offered to leave Dallas if it would make things “easier” with head coach Mike McCarthy. Colin Cowherd considered whether Quinn should stay or leave.
More importantly, the secondary itself is mostly the same. All three main full-backs are under contract at least this season and the front office remains secure for the firebrand Jayron Kearse in a two-year agreement.
Damontae Kazee disappeared from last year’s team, but even that loss was mitigated by the decision to re-sign Malik Hookerwho played 446 snaps as Quinn’s third safety.
“Just to go back, I think that’s unfinished business, and obviously the people we have that I know will come back as well,” Hooker said.
It all comes together to create one of the most insightful, veteran second installments this franchise has had in quite some time. Even the bottom end of the depth chart looks promising, with a pair of highly outlined corners waiting on the wings and the safety of a fourth year Donovan Wilson round to the back end.
They will be checked quickly. Within the first five weeks of the season, this team faced three of the NFL’s most explosive passing attacks: Tampa . Bay, Cincinnati and LA Rams. It’s arguably a pretty big step to go from protecting the Cowboys’ depleted legion of recipients to the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson II.
It’s not surprising that Cowboys DBs say they’re up for the challenge. The strange thing is that in 2022, people are more likely to trust them.
“I feel like when Jerry and those guys discussed it with us, it felt like they wanted to switch mentality towards defense,” said corner five six. Jourdan Lewis. “We’ve had a few changes leading up to this point, but we’ve finally gotten to where we wanted to defend.”
David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports, providing insight and analysis into the NFL’s most visible franchise. Prior to joining FOX, David spent nine seasons with the Cowboys for the team’s official website, DallasCowboys.com. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback quartet’s time at Mississippi State.
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