Will Jourdan Lewis return to Dallas, or have we seen the last of him in your opinion?
The Dallas Cowboys have sixteen players who will officially hit free agency on March 13th. Of the sixteen, close to half were significant contributors in 2023, meaning the Cowboys have some difficult decisions ahead of them in the next month and a half.
Today, we continue our free agent profile series taking a look at Dallas’ 16 impending free agents. Our next profile takes a look at a long-time member of Dallas’ defense, cornerback Jourdan Lewis.
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Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
2023 Regular Season Stats: 16 G, 52 Total Tackles, 36 Solo, 5 PD, 3 FF, 97.8 Passer Rating Against, 1 INT, 3 AV
Year Review: In the summer before the 2023 season, some questioned if Jourdan Lewis would enter the regular season on Dallas’ 53-man roster. Lewis’s name was frequently mentioned as a potential cut candidate and Dallas would have saved $2-3M against the cap if they cut ties with the cornerback before the season.
While the idea of cutting Lewis never seemed realistic, the Cowboys have to be thrilled they never entertained the idea. When Trevon Diggs went down in September, Lewis was instantly thrust into the starting lineup as Dallas’ nickel cornerback. With DaRon Bland forced to move back outside, it was up to Lewis to hold down the slot.
The 28-year-old had some up-and-down moments but overall put together a solid season. Lewis finished the year allowing 50 receptions for 609 yards and four touchdowns, but made some big-time plays down the stretch, including this impressive interception against the Lions.
Jourdan Lewis reads the play to perfection and picks it!pic.twitter.com/pwPF4x5nZJ
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) December 31, 2023
Overall, Lewis continued to battle as he always does and finished the season on a high note.
Free Agency Outlook: In free agency this spring Lewis will likely be looking for a deal similar to the three-year, $13.5M contract he signed with Dallas back in March of 2021. At age 28, teams may not want to make a three-year commitment to a cornerback who has battled injuries during his seven-year NFL career. Even so, Lewis still should be able to earn a multi-year commitment from a cornerback-needy team.
Lewis will likely earn a deal comparable to one signed by the below three cornerbacks last offseason.
It seems like a good bet that Lewis will get a two-year deal, in the range of $3-4.5M annually.
Cowboys Verdict: Dallas’ interest in retaining Lewis will likely play hand-in-hand with their decision on veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore. If Dallas does aggressively pursue bringing back Gilmore, the Cowboys likely would not need Lewis with DaRon Bland set to move back inside. But, if Gilmore is too expensive for Dallas’ liking, Lewis could be an intriguing option to retain.
In the end, as much as the Cowboys would like to bring back Gilmore, there is a chance he will price himself out of their market. The veteran will likely demand $7-8M a year, which will be at least $2-3M more than what Lewis would cost.
Bringing back Lewis would be the more cost-effective option, but it seems likely Dallas will want to move Bland back into the slot. If they do, the Cowboys will need somebody who can play outside, which is not one of Lewis’ strengths. For this reason, it seems like a decent bet the veteran has played his last down in Dallas.
Prediction: Jourdan Lewis signs a two-year, $6.5M deal with the Detroit Lions.
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