The Dallas Cowboys let two of their starting cornerbacks leave via free agency when Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne both signed with other teams in the offseason. However, Dallas signed Nolan Carroll as a free agent and then drafted three rookie cornerbacks to work on filling those gaps.
Dallas drops one of their draft picks
For the first time since 2014, the Dallas Cowboys dropped three of their NFL draft picks in the final cuts of the NFL preseason. These drops included seventh round picks Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell and sixth round pick, Marquez White.
The slight surprise there was White, who was one of the three cornerbacks that Dallas drafted.
Dallas is sticking with their two earlier cornerback picks in Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis. However, both of those cornerbacks are returning from hamstring strains and the Cowboys don't look very healthy at the position heading into their 2017 NFL season opening game with the New York Giants.
There is also the question of whether or not the NFL will punish Nolan Carroll III for his DWI arrest this offseason. That leaves Orlando Scandrick and second-year player Anthony Brown.
Cowboys trade with Bengals
With both Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis both hobbled, the Dallas Cowboys knew they needed depth at cornerback.
Obviously, they didn't see that in rookie Marquez White, henceforth the release of the young player. Instead, the Cowboys pulled off a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals for Bene Benwikere.
The trade saw the Cowboys sent a conditional sixth-round 2019 NFL Draft pick to the Bengals for Bene Benwikere. Over his career, Benwikere has recorded two interceptions during his time with the Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Bene Benwikere wasn't likely to make the Cincinnati Bengals team due to a strong depth at cornerback with Dre Kirkpatrick and Adam Jones as the starters. Darqueze Dennard and rookie William Jackson III also look to be getting some starting play this season in Cincinnati.
Dallas Cowboys 2017 cornerback battles
The Dallas Cowboys actually considered signing recent free agent Joe Haden when the Cleveland Browns released him.
However, the Pittsburgh Steelers jumped in to sign their former division rival. For the 2017 NFL season, the Cowboys are hoping that Orlando Scandrick is back to his superstar playing level a full year removed from an ACL tear. They also hope their rookies step up and Anthony Brown continues to progress.
