In explaining why the Cowboys won’t trade disgruntled, contract-year cornerback Mike Jenkins, owner Jerry Jones has steadfastly called Jenkins “a vital part of our plan.” NFL.com reported that the Cowboys could use four cornerbacks on the field simultaneously. Jones seems to buy into the four-corner idea, but it may be news to defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
“I don’t know if we’ll do that,” Ryan told Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas. “If we ever get in a need to play all those guys, then we can do that certainly.”
NFL teams do use four corners in dime packages, but we wouldn’t expect the Cowboys to use a dime alignment as their base defense. Jenkins isn’t going to be a starter in Dallas, and he’s not even going to be the third cornerback. (That’s slot corner Orlando Scandrick’s role.)
It’s perhaps noteworthy that ESPN’s Ed Werder predicted on NFL Live Wednesday that Jenkins won’t be traded. “I think in all likelihood,” Werder said, “he’s gonna play for the Cowboys this year if he’s gonna play for anyone.”
Assuming he does remain in Dallas, how much Jenkins actually plays still seems to be up in the air among Cowboys defensive decision makers.
