Overview
- Head Coach: Jason Garrett
- Defensive Coordinator: Rod Marinelli
- Defensive Back Coach: Jerome Henderson and Joe Baker
- Base Defense Scheme: 4-3 Hybrid
- Transactions:
- Draft Picks: CB Byron Jones
Projected Starters
| CornerBack # 1: | Brandon Carr | |
| CornerBack # 2: | Morris Claiborne | |
| Strong Safety : | J.J. Wilcox | |
| Free Safety : | Barry Church | |
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The Numbers
Total Fantasy Points Allowed to WR: Average Fantasy Points Per game against to WR: 311.84 Total Receiving Touchdowns Allowed: 10 Total Receiving Yards Allowed:2,504 Average Receiving yards per game against: 156.5
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Strengths
Before the injury to Orlando Scandrick I had written that he was the lone bright spot in this otherwise abysmal secondary in 2014. By the end of the season Brandon Carr was getting burned so much that they moved Scandrick over to the left side to cover the Z receiver. Unfortunately Scandrick is out for the season which leaves this defensive backfield paper thin. The only addition to this unit was the draft pick Byron Jones. After getting banged up early in the preseason he he finally got some run against the Vikings in the 3rd preseason game but was playing the free safety position that is currently manned by Barry Church. But they drafted him for depth and for the fact that this was a weak position that they didn’t have any turnover on last year. I think we see him as the 5th Defensive back to start the year in Nickel packages but where the primary responsibilities fall at that time will become more apparent in week 1.
Weaknesses
Everything else in this defensive backfield can be considered a weakness. They return all the same starters from their squad last year. Brandon Carr was one of the worst coverage corners in the league last year. It got so bad that he was finally moved off the other teams #1 as the Cowboys made their playoff run. Barry Church is not a free safety I fear at all in coverage. He does have some buzz due to his high tackle total from 2014 but if your free safety is racking up that many tackles that should not be looked at as a positive for the overall defense. I am not sure what they are planning with Byron Jones getting lots of reps at Free Safety as well. It is possible they think Church can slide into the slot in Nickel packages and Jones can play over the top. This is a unit I will be watching incredibly closely especially with Orlando Scandrick now out for the year. They should have shootouts going every week.
Overall Outlook
The Cowboys defensive backfield will definitely be a unit to target opposing wide receivers and tight ends against early on. Brandon Carr will spend most of his time on the teams Z receiver which should be a matchup most #1s are capable of exploiting. The matchups this backfield face early on are also extremely enticing starting with the Giants in week 1 and then seeing the Eagles, Falcons, Saints and Patriots before seeing the Giants for the 2nd time. I will be targeting receivers against this backfield and assume they will continue the same trends they had in 2014. They will no longer have the ball control capabilities on offense with the loss of Demarco Murray. So I expect this unit to be on the field more where they will continue to be exploited in 2015.
