The Dallas Cowboys lost a bet to most underrated player on the team and it took under an hour of free agency to pay the consequence
The Dallas Cowboys are losing one of their finest players and arguably the most underrated defender on the team: Cornerback Jourdan Lewis. According to Ian Rapoport and Peter Schrager from NFL Network, Lewis is signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars and "becomes the NFL's highest-paid nickel CB." The deal is expected to become official on Wednesday, once […]
The Dallas Cowboys are losing one of their finest players and arguably the most underrated defender on the team: Cornerback Jourdan Lewis.
According to Ian Rapoport and Peter Schrager from NFL Network, Lewis is signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars and "becomes the NFL's highest-paid nickel CB." The deal is expected to become official on Wednesday, once teams are allowed to put pen to paper.
Per Rapoport, Lewis will get three years for $30 million, including $20 million fully guaranteed. The news was reported under an hour into Monday's start of the negotiation period of free agency.
And I'll be honest, I'm not sure you can find a more bittersweet taste for Cowboys free agency news than this one.
On the one hand, losing Lewis sucks for the Cowboys defense. He's a gritty defender who's overcome unideal height to become a staple at the nickel position on Dallas' defenses over the years. He's got a nasty demeanor on the field and sets the tone for the unit with his high intensity on a down-to-down basis. There should be no doubt: The team will undeniably miss him. A lot.
On the other, I can't help but feel slightly happy about Lewis getting the payday he truly deserved. At five-foot-ten and about to turn 30 years old, there were questions about whether or not he'd command the respect needed from the NFL world to sign a big deal.
Last year, Lewis bet on himself, signing a one-year deal worth $2.8 million in what was essentially a "prove it season." Let's call a spade a spade: Lewis won the bet. And now, the Cowboys are left with a Texas-sized hole at nickel while the former third-round draft pick becomes the highest-paid nickel in the league.
And it gets worse: Trevon Diggs' health will be a question mark early on in the 2025 season, meaning cornerback is quickly rising through the ranks of the Cowboys' biggest team needs.
For Dallas? This is terrible news. For Lewis? Man, this one feels a little different than when your favorite team loses a top player. You gotta be happy for the guy. He deserves a round of applause for his time wearing The Star. All the best to Jourdan in Jacksonville.
