First round pick Byron Jones is destined to play a key role in the Cowboy's defense for years to come, but what that role is exactly has not been made clear. Jones is an athletic freak who jumped up draft boards thanks in part to his impressive NFL combine performance. Now Jones must find where he is most productive in a secondary looking for a leader.
Orlando Scandrick has been the Cowboys most reliable cornerback for a couple of seasons. Morris Claiborne has been not only injury prone but largely ineffective for the Cowboys, and now entering a contract year he must find a way to become a productive cornerback if he wants to keep his job. Corey White was added in free agency from the New Orleans Saints and has never really been more than a role player.
Barry Church is the most solid and developed safety the Cowboys have, J.J. Wilcox has been developing but has yet to turn the corner as a starter. Brandon Carr has been largely a disappointment for the Cowboys, signed to a huge contract but lacks the consistency and productivity to ever be worth the price tag. Jones can prove to be a cost effective starter in any one of the key positions in the secondary. Jones will likely battle Brandon Carr or J.J. Wilcox as training camp begins. Jones has shown to be versatile in mini-camp excelling at both cornerback and safety, which makes the decision pretty difficult. Cowboy's defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will likely use specialty packages for Jones were he plays both positions during different plays.
A big factor will also be health, if all the members of the Cowboy's secondary can stay healthy that will be the first time it has happened in several seasons. If Jones plays well enough at cornerback it could push Brandon Carr to the 2nd string of the roster making his large contract highly unnecessary. Jones's impact on the field will be huge helping solidify an underachieving unit but it may be just as big off the field as well in terms of the Cowboy's cap situation.
