Cowboys gain an edge vs. Buccaneers after latest injury news
The Cowboys look to have a potential stud on their hands in fifth-round cornerback DaRon Bland who has all but solidified his spot on the 53-man roster. While that bodes well for the entire season, the Cowboys look to have gotten some good news about one of the veteran members of their secondary for the […]
The Cowboys look to have a potential stud on their hands in fifth-round cornerback DaRon Bland who has all but solidified his spot on the 53-man roster. While that bodes well for the entire season, the Cowboys look to have gotten some good news about one of the veteran members of their secondary for the season opener.
Cornerback, Jourdan Lewis, the Cowboys' top slot man, was optimistic last week about his chances of playing against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After resuming running activities on Tuesday, Lewis says he's on track to play.
Lewis suffered the injury last week in the Cowboys' first joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. As a result, Lewis was ruled out for the rest of the preseason which led to Bland's increase in reps lately.
It's unclear whether or not Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers' primary slot option, will be available against the Cowboys in Week 1 as he continues to work his way back from a torn ACL. So, having Lewis back gives the Cowboys a slight edge with the unknown status of Godwin although Russell Gage can be a threat in the slot as well as Julio Jones occasionally.
This is a great sign for the Cowboys in terms of their Week 2 opponent also, the defending AFC champions, the Cincinnati Bengals. On their roster, is one of the NFL's better slot receivers, Tyler Boyd, who had over 800 yards and five scores last season. The Cowboys were going to have a tough task trying to beat the Buccaneers and Bengals regardless of the circumstances, but knowing Lewis will likely be available against two of the league's better slot demons is a plus.
After a career-high 59 tackles in 2020, the Cowboys rewarded Lewis with a three-year extension worth up to $16.5 million with $8 million in guaranteed dollars last March. Lewis showed the Cowboys were smart in their investment as he set a new career-high with 61 tackles and also set top marks in interceptions (3) and passes defended (11).
He's not the biggest or flashiest name on the Cowboys, but Lewis has been a steady contributor over his previous five seasons and will be an important link on the team's defensive unit which will lead the way in 2022.
Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
