The Dallas Cowboys have been in OTA workouts this week and Greg Hardy has been impressing the coaching staff with his skills on the defensive line, while rookies Randy Gregory and Byron Jones have also looked good and Jones potentially could push into the starting lineup with Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick, which could give the Cowboys a chance to trade Morris Claiborne.
The Cowboys defense is looking to improve in the secondary this season and Jones comes in as a first round pick and highly regarded out of UConn. According to the Dallas Morning News, Jones has been "strong" in rookie camp workouts and OTAs so far this offseason and he has looked the part at cornerback for the Cowboys. The team has Carr and Scandrick at cornerback along with Morris Claiborne, but Claiborne has been inconsistent and his job is up for grabs.
Scandrick just signed a new contract and Carr did not get released like many expected, but Jones still has a chance to contribute. The Cowboys secondary was not good in 2014 and ranked in the bottom half of the league in passing yards allowed per game. The team signed Scandrick to a new deal, with NFL.com reporting that he signed a $9.5 million contract extension through 2019 adding an extra year to his current contract.
The team also decided to keep Carr without reworking his contract and he now appears safe to stay with the team moving forward even with his high cap number. If anyone is in trouble it's Claiborne and he comes in limited at OTA workouts with a knee injury. Claiborne reportedly is only working in individual drills, according to the Dallas Morning News, and that could give Jones his chance to impress moving forward. The team did not pick up the fifth year option for Claiborne and Todd Archer at
Todd Archer at ESPN writes that Jones could end up at safety in the future depending on how things develop on defense, as he has the athleticism to play deep and at cornerback. Jones is 6-foot-1, 199 pounds and he played both safety and cornerback in college and has the flexibility to play both positions. That gives the Cowboys some versatility and with Morris Claiborne struggling and dealing with injuries in the past, Jones could use that to vault ahead of him on the roster.
The Cowboys running back situation is still getting sorted out, as Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden are battling to start after DeMarco Murray left for the Eagles. Randle will get the chance to be the starting running back after averaging over five yards per carry last season behind Murray, while McFadden comes in after staying healthy for a full season for the first time.
McFadden and Randle have Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams behind them on the depth chart and there is as chance that the team could add another running back heading into training camp. The team reportedly worked out Ben Tate, Daniel Thomas and Felix Jones and those options are more likely to come in than someone like Chris Johnson or Steven Jackson behind McFadden and Randle.
