The Dallas Cowboys are less than a month away from departing for Oxnard, Calif., for training camp, as the Brian Schottenheimer era approaches its official beginning on July 21.
In the Cowboys Depth Chart series, we will take a look at each position group to determine which players are safe, on the bubble or have work to do in terms of making the 53-man roster coming out of training camp in late August.
At the cornerback position, the Cowboys juggled multiple injuries in 2024, and that remains the case heading into training camp. Who will be healthy and who could earn an early spot on the roster while the room heals up?
Here is a quick look at how the cornerbacks stand going into camp.
SAFE (4)
DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, Israel Mukuamu, Shavon Revel Jr.
Not many things are certain at the cornerback position going into training camp, but it would be a healthy assumption that DaRon Bland and Kaiir Elam find themselves in a starting role in week one in Philadelphia. Bland is heading into a contract year and could factor in at either the slot or outside corner spots, while Elam has drawn rave reviews in his first offseason with the Cowboys after being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills in March.
Despite rumors about a setback in his recovery, the expectation remains that Shavon Revel Jr. will be cleared from his torn ACL sometime during training camp in an effort to push for a starting job as a rookie. Israel Mukuamu could also contend for a starting job in week one as a holdover until the room heals up.
ON THE BUBBLE (4)
Caelen Carson, Kemon Hall, Robert Rochell, Andrew Booth Jr.
Numbers at the cornerback position will get wonky, especially early in the season when the team welcomes back injured players. But with six total spots expected, that leaves two spots open on the bubble for a group of four players that look to play into the mix.
Despite beginning the season as a rookie starter in 2024, Caelen Carson saw a decline after returning from a shoulder injury. Offseason surgery and a full recovery could help get him on the right track and closer to a safe spot on the roster before camp even wraps up.
Kemon Hall came close to earning a roster spot toward the end of the 2024 season, but a practice injury kept him from seeing the field down the stretch. In 2025, he factors in as the most experienced player on the bubble and could use that to his advantage.
After a strong workout in front of the team in early June, Robert Rochell signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys in hopes of earning a roster spot. Following two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Rochell is looking to keep a 53-man roster spot going into year five. At the least, he would be one of the most tenured practice squad members on the team if he comes up short.
It was an up-and-down campaign for Andrew Booth Jr. after he was swapped in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings during training camp last year. He had some moments in the preseason, but ultimately gave up way too many big plays. After being relegated to the practice squad by the end of the season last year in a room that was looking for anyone to step up, it will take a big boost from Booth to make the cut in 2025.
WORK TO DO (2)
Bruce Harmon, Troy Pride Jr.
Undrafted signee Bruce Harmon has an uphill battle coming from Stephen F. Austin into the NFL, but he has the advantage of being the only undrafted rookie in the room. More often than not, that will allow for more room for error in an attempt to develop him on the practice squad. Unlike some other position groups on the team, it’s not impossible for Harmon to make the 53-man roster, but it would take a near-perfect training camp and preseason.
A spot on the practice squad was where Troy Pride Jr. found a home last season, even though his services were called on for two games. For him to make a big swing up the depth chart, he will need to use his experience at 27 years old to show the team how his services differ from the players stacked in front of him.
PUP/IR (2)
Trevon Diggs, Josh Butler
While there is still a realistic chance that Trevon Diggs is fully cleared from his offseason knee surgery in time to play in week one, the expectation remains that he will most likely miss the first four games after a brief stint on the injured reserve (IR) list. Once he is cleared, he will be put back on the 53-man roster, taking the place of a player who barely made the cut to begin the season.
The story of Josh Butler in 2024 was an inspiring one, but it was unfortunately cut short after he tore his ACL on Thanksgiving. His recovery remains on track, but he is not expected to be cleared until sometime near the midway point of the season. When he does return, it could be in a practice squad role for the rest of the year in a “break glass in case of emergency” role similar to the one that got him on the field last season.