The Dallas Cowboys have re-signed CB Jourdan Lewis to a three-year deal. The former 2017 3rd-round pick, who turns 26 in August, has only missed three games in four seasons and has caused at least one turnover every year.
After losing Chidobe Awuzie to the Cincinnati Bengals and with Xavier Woods also a free agent, Dallas was looking pretty thin in the secondary. Outside of Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown at cornerback and Donovan Wilson at safety there’s a scary lack of proven assets under contract.
The question now is which position the Cowboys see Jourdan Lewis filling in 2021.
CB Jourdan Lewis is returning to the Dallas Cowboys on a 3-year deal worth a max of $16.5 million, including $8M guaranteed, per his agent @VIPSports_Mgt.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2021
Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis to sign a 3-year deal worth up to $16.5M, including $8M in guarantees, source said. Can earn up to $1M in playing time and INT incentives each year. His $3M salary in 2022 is guaranteed for injury, becomes fully guaranteed on fifth day of 2022 league year
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 18, 2021
Lewis’ contract, which sounds like it could be less than the reported $16.5 million if incentives aren’t met, is roughly the same amount that Anthony Brown re-signed for last year. That sets up for real competition between the two if Jourdan is returning at cornerback.
On the other hand, Lewis’ willingness to tackle and his flashes of balls skills could make him a candidate at safety. He doesn’t fit the “Legion of Boom” prototype as a corner but is about the same size as safeties that Dan Quinn has worked with previously such as Earl Thomas and Damontae Kazee.
If nothing else, signing Lewis gives the Cowboys some flexibility heading into the draft. Without any free agent additions Dallas may have been forced to draft for need at the 10th pick.
The good news is that Lewis’ return certainly doesn’t prohibit the Cowboys from still selecting a cornerback 10th overall. At worst, he can still be valuable depth piece with potential position flexibility.
At times Jourdan Lewis has looked like the best player over Awuzie, Woods, or most of Dallas’ recent defensive backs. Hopefully his return means that Dan Quinn has a vision for how to get the most out of Lewis in the future.
