Cowboys' crowded secondary is already making life difficult for one hopeful offseason signing

The Dallas Cowboys missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons largely because their secondary was underwhelming throughout the 2025 season. Owner Jerry Jones then forced the front office to make an aggressive overhaul. This shift might leave one of their new free-agent signings without a clear role before training camp even begins.

That player is CB Derion Kendrick, 25, who signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with Dallas on March 24. Actually, Dallas kept adding players after him through free agency and the NFL draft, causing the secondary room to get crowded fast.

Kendrick brings a mixed track record to Dallas. Drafted by the Rams in the sixth round out of Georgia in 2022, he showed potential in 2023 by starting 12 games, making 49 tackles, and deflecting 10 passes. However, a torn ACL forced him to miss the entire 2024 season.

In 2025, he moved around, playing 10 games for the Seattle Seahawks before being waived and finishing the year with a five-game stint back with the Rams. That year, he had two interceptions and five pass deflections.

While Kendrick clearly has ball skills, he has struggled with consistency and costly penalties throughout his career. He came to Dallas for a fresh start but found a highly competitive secondary room where he must compete hard just to make the roster.

With DaRon Bland sidelined by injury during OTAs, the Cowboys rotated Shavon Revel, Cobie Durant, and Caelen Carson with the first-team defense. Kendrick was never in that mix. Despite joining Dallas just months ago, he already looks like a player the team does not consider an important piece, entering training camp with unusually thin job security for a veteran free-agent addition.

The room he belongs to is absolutely stacked now. Revel, entering Year 2 after his ACL recovery, is a player new defensive coordinator Christian Parker keeps referring to as central to his system. Durant adds veteran depth and slot versatility.

Moreover, first-round rookie Caleb Downs is expected to play nickel. Safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke can also kick into the slot, which further squeezes what little space Kendrick had to begin with. At this point, a practice squad spot looks like his realistic ceiling unless he can separate himself in camp.

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