Offseason position battles are always fun to watch. But while most coverage is mostly focused on starting jobs, it’s just as exciting to monitor the battles taking place at the bottom of the depth chart. For the Dallas Cowboys, who kick off OTAs next Monday, there will be no shortage of those.

But perhaps the most difficult to predict on that front lies at cornerback. And with a new coaching regime led by defensive coordinator Christian Parker, a defensive backs specialist, you can expect a true free for all.

How many spots are up for grabs?

This by itself is an enticing question. Teams typically carry five or six cornerbacks on the 53.man roster. If you ask me, for the Cowboys, the top four spots are clearly taken by DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant, Shavon Revel Jr., and fourth-round draft pick Devin Moore.

So at most, I’d say the Cowboys have two roster spots up for grabs (first-round safety Caleb Downs could also influence their approach considering he’s set to man the nickel spot early on). And quite honestly, it’s very difficult to predict who will take them.

And that starts with the fact that there’s a new coaching staff in town. Do they automatically bet on their guys? Or do they consider players who have been on the team for a while now?

Old guard vs new guard

Obviously, everyone will have a chance to compete. This is a football team, after all. But naturally, we know the players signed since Parker’s arrival are guys they like. At cornerback, outside of the roster locks, the one Parker guy who was brought in is Derion Kendrick.

Kendrick has 47 NFL games and 18 starts under his belt. Though he isn’t a standout corner in the league, we know he belongs on an NFL roster. And we know Parker’s staff views him as a fit.

Does that make him a favorite over the likes of Josh Butler, Caelen Carson, Reddy Steward, among others? Maybe, as all other defensive back signings are expected to have a big role on the team (Jalen Thompson, P.J. Locke, and Cobie Durant) but it shouldn’t be by much.

Butler showed promising flashes as a backup in 2024 before being knocked out for the year. Steward has shown he can be solid depth at nickel, which could be needed with Caleb Downs moving all over the field.

What to watch in Cowboys OTAs

When it comes to the battle at the bottom of the cornerback depth chart, I’m looking a two things:

1. Which non-roster-lock corner is getting the early second-team reps?
2. Who is taking reps at nickel other than Calen Downs?
3. Does any CB stand out on special teams?

Those two should reveal a lot about the way the staff views the current cornerback room beyond the four virtual roster locks.