Maurice Canady with a spectacular interception, pushing for starting slot duty?
Another training camp practice, another interception for the Cowboys cornerback Maurice Canady. This time it came against Matt Stafford and the LA Rams in the annual joint practice. The 5th year pro is no stranger to getting his hands on the ball in camp notching his 4th interception. This one however came in a fantastic […]
Another training camp practice, another interception for the Cowboys cornerback Maurice Canady. This time it came against Matt Stafford and the LA Rams in the annual joint practice.
The 5th year pro is no stranger to getting his hands on the ball in camp notching his 4th interception. This one however came in a fantastic fashion.
Canady started off flowing left with Cooper Cupp, then as Cupp executed the whip route Canady sprinted right only to put on the brakes as he saw Stafford look to fit a throw in the window behind him.
The camp standout jumped, twirled his body with control, and snagged the ball mid-air for the play of the day
The ball skills Canady has shown here in these practices has caught fans and media by surprise and head coach Mike McCarthy.
“I didn’t know that his ball skills were this good”. McCarthy said. “The way he tracks the football I’ve been so impressed with him.”
It’s not farfetched to say that Canady has looked like one of the best cornerbacks on the roster so far. Making a case to make the Cowboys roster and potentially push one of the other veteran players for playing time.
Canady v Brown v Lewis
The Cowboys could find themselves in an interesting situation regarding Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis.
Lewis was just signed to a 3 year $13.5 million contract in the off-season, guaranteeing the 5th year player $7.75 million.
Brown is in the 2nd year of a similar 3 year deal signed in the 2020 free agency period. However Brown could be facing the uphill battle if the Cowboys elect to roll with Canady, here’s why.
One aspect of Brown’s game that the Cowboys brass seems to praise is his versatility, being able to play both the slot and boundary. How well he plays there is up for debate.
Canady on the other hand has shown that same versatility during his career.
In 2017 he would play 288 snaps in the slot for the Baltimore Ravens. During the 2019 season for both Baltimore and the New York Jets he would play 318 snaps on the outside.
There is also the financial aspect of Brown's contract. If the Cowboys were to cut ties with Anthony Brown they would essentially break even.
If football is truly a meritocracy, then Maurice Canady very well could end up being your starting slot cornerback heading into the 2021 season. It is certainly worth keeping an eye on moving forward.
Feature image: © Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
