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Cowboys continue adding to defense, sign cornerback Worley

The Dallas Cowboys opened up the second wave of post-NFL Draft free agency by signing versatile cornerback Daryl Worley in an attempt to bolster the defense
Credit: AP
Oakland Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley (20) celebrates after a defensive stop by Oakland during an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)

DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys just finished a draft where they added two cornerbacks, but apparently they weren’t done adding talent to a position that saw Pro Bowler Byron Jones exit for Miami in free agency. On Wednesday, the team signed former Oakland Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley to continue to shore up the secondary.

Even with Jones joining the Dolphins, it’s getting awfully crowded in the cornerbacks' room in Dallas. Worley is the third corner signed in free agency, joining Maurice Canady and Saivion Smith. Dallas also re-signed Anthony Brown this offseason, to go along with the returning crew of Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and C.J. Goodwin. In addition, the Cowboys spent a second-round pick on Trevon Diggs and selected Reggie Robinson II out of Tulsa in Round 4.

Worley is a former 2016 third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers and is just 25 years old, but the Cowboys will be his fourth team in five years. He was traded from the Panthers to the Philadelphia Eagles in March of 2018, but Worley’s arrest for a DUI in April of that year got him released before he played a game. The Raiders swooped in and signed Worley, who was suspended for four games as a result of the arrest.

Last season, Worley had eight passes defended, a tackle for a loss, and an interception in 15 games. Worley has five career interceptions, with at least one in each of his four seasons.

However, the biggest numbers that attracted the Cowboys to Worley are his measurables. He is listed at 6-feet-two, 220 pounds, which is in line with how the defensive staff wants their secondary to look.

Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay mentioned in an interview after the draft about how the team wants “big, long corners.” Worley fits that bill.

The Cowboys simply will not keep all the corners that they currently have. It’s a numbers game when building a 53-man roster, and they have too many corners right now. The CB crunch ultimately might not be an issue, however, as rumors are swirling that the Cowboys might convert one of their corner stalwarts into a safety moving forward.

Coincidentally, the team has only added one safety this offseason, with HaHa Clinton-Dix joining his old coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas. The Cowboys also have Xavier Woods, Donovan Wilson and Darian Thompson as the other safeties on the roster.

Dallas can still add to the safety position in free agency, but don’t rule out a CB being moved. It might be Chidobe Awuzie, but Worley also has experience playing safety. Worley lined up at safety for the Panthers in 2017 and the Raiders used him at the position some last season, as well. If the Cowboys are entertaining a corner moving to safety, the versatile Worley makes some sense.

The Cowboys added another cornerback with the length, we’ll have to wait and see how they’ll utilize their newest addition.

Do you hope the Worley signing signals more incoming players via free agency? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.

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