NFC East Update
In a secondary that has been wholly inconsistent for the last half-decade, Dallas’ best defensive back, Orlando Scandrick has been the model of consistency over the past 2-3 years. The Cowboy cornerback received high marks from Pro Football Focus in 2014 and has clearly out-performed fellow corners Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne. With Carr’s contract figure making him a potential post June 1 cut candidate and the Cowboys declining Claiborne’s fifth year option Scandrick leveraged the situation to get his contract extended and garner a raise by not participating in off-season voluntary workouts. In an effort to avoid a potential holdout Jerry and Stephen Jones decided to work out an extension with their top corner. According to Ian Rapport, Scandrick was slated to make $10.5 million over the next four seasons. Instead, he will now make $20 million over the next five seasons, a healthy pay day indeed. It should be noted that the Dallas Cowboys used their 2015 1st round pick on cornerback Byron Jones an uber-athletic cornerback out of Connecticut who may end up starting opposite the newly minted Scandrick sooner rather than later.
