Late last Thursday night, the Dallas Cowboys finalized an agreement to sign former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, adding a starting-caliber defensive back to a secondary in need of reliability.
Durant, 28, has spent all four of his NFL seasons with the Rams. Entering free agency for the first time, he didn’t know quite what to expect.
“I had mixed emotions,” Durant said. “I wasn’t sure how things were going to work out. Leave it in God’s hands and let my agent do what he do.”
“Free agency was a long process. It was actually more stressful than the draft, in my opinion. When my agent called me about the Dallas Cowboys, I went straight to the roster and looked at the coaching staff. This was my first time in free agency, I looked at the coaching staff and I remembered some of the coaches in the secondary and the [defensive coordinator, Christian Parker] in previous times early in my times of playing. It wasn’t even a hard decision, for real.”
Shortly after signing, he met a couple of his new teammates, including fellow cornerback DaRon Bland, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer who reminded him of his previous head coach in Los Angeles.
“The guys on both sides of the ball, the coaching staff,” he said about why he chose Dallas. “Having Coach Schotty as a head coach reminds me a lot of Sean McVay. The corners coaches, the DC, I just felt like it was a great situation to come into and thrive.”
In many of the Cowboys’ free agency moves, versatility has been a theme. With Durant, it’s no different with his proven flexibility between the nickel corner and outside corner spots. In his first two seasons, he was primarily used at nickel, playing 53.5-percent of his snaps on the inside. But in his last two seasons -- easily his most productive with seven interceptions and 15 pass deflections -- he has played 82.3-percent of his snaps on the outside.
When it comes to his preference, he doesn’t care which position the defense places him in.
“Wherever they want me, I’m willing to play outside or inside,” Durant said. “I’m willing to contribute wherever to help this team win. I don’t have a preference. Ball is ball at the end of the day. Wherever they put me is where I’ll be and where I’ll contribute to the team.”
Durant’s turnover-creating ability made him an enticing free agent cornerback on the market. That takeaway ability, he says, goes back to the foundation of his playing days.
“All levels, from little league all the way up to the pros,” he said. “I thrive at taking the ball away. It’s something I really enjoy doing. See ball, get ball. There’s nothing like getting the ball back to the offense. Defense wins championships and offense sells tickets. Getting the ball back to Dak Prescott is my new motive.”
The takeaway part of his game is just one part of what he says he’s bringing to Dallas.
“I bring an excitement to the game, my swag, how I go about my business,” he said. “I just enjoy where I’m at. I enjoy life, really. I’m blessed for the opportunity. I’m blessed to be here with the Cowboys, America’s Team.”