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To give you an idea of what the Cowboys roster looks like with training camp a month away, we’re breaking it down position by position.

Here’s the situation at cornerback.

Players predicted to make the 53-man roster:

1.) Orlando Scandrick

2.) Brandon Carr

3.) Byron Jones

4.) Morris Claiborne

5.) Tyler Patmon

6.) Corey White

Outlook for the 2015 season:

The Cowboys went into the 2015 offseason looking to upgrade the cornerback position. They believe they’ve done that with first-round pick Byron Jones.

Dallas also signed free agent Corey White, who played the previous three seasons in New Orleans. Not only do those additions help at cornerback, but both could play a significant role at safety.

“In today’s NFL, if you’re not a starter, you’re not the left corner, you’re not the right corner, you got to be versatile and you have to be able to do multiple jobs,” Cowboys defensive back coach Jerome Henderson said. “So that’s why we’re training Corey White and Byron Jones to do multiple things. The more they can do for us, the more value they have.

“There were games last year where we lost a DB and you’re like, ‘Oh, gosh, what do we do because we have guys who only play safety or only play corner?’ As a secondary coach, it’s a great feeling to have guys who can just go play, no matter who gets hurt they can go play.”

The other four corners all saw playing time last year as the Cowboys finished with 18 interceptions, their highest total since 2010. But only four of those picks came via CBs.

Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick are projected starters. Morris Claiborne and Tyler Patmon should provide depth and value when Dallas is in its nickel and dime packages.

Carr, who struggled with inconsistency last year, is coming off his first pro season without an interception. Claiborne is recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee, but appeared ahead of schedule during offseason workouts.

If Claiborne is ready to contribute at the start of training camp, Jones could see more time at free safety.

“I’m not as negative on Carr’s season last year as some can be,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “I think he got pretty consistent near the end of the season and so he has a real chance, with Claiborne’s rehab going as good as it’s going, [we] got a real good chance with a potential Claiborne in there and Carr and Jones and Scandrick out there that we’ve got a good chance to be excellent in our secondary. I expect that really. I think that Claiborne is going to surprise us.”

Scandrick has consistently improved throughout his Cowboys career, becoming one of the team’s defensive leaders. He tied a career-high with two interceptions last season and signed a contract extension in May.

“Hopefully we can be dominant,” Scandrick said. “We’re going to go out here and we’re going to work every day and continue to work on our crafts to become a dominant defense, to be able to be the defense that this team can lean on when we need to. Our offense ain’t always going to score 40 points and get 500 yards of offense.”

Byron Jones was one of the most impressive players during organized team activities and minicamp. If his play carries over through training camp, it’ll be tough for the coaching staff to keep him off the field.

Future at the position:

Carr is the oldest of the group at 29. Jones is the youngest at 22. White, Patmon and Claiborne are all between the ages of 24 and 25. But the future of the position will be bright as long as Jones performs like a first-round pick.

Without pads on, he has looked the part. The Cowboys owner and general manager has been so pleased that he said Jones working in the nickel package has given him “visions of sugar plums.”

“I just think that when we were trying to make a decision, I don’t think we could have asked for more, sitting here today, than what he’s shown,” Jerry Jones said. “He certainly has shown the athletic ability, which was a given, but he’s shown the instincts, shown the ability to have position flex of corner as well as safety and shows with those tall guys, a lot of times you have a little limitation in how you basically, your turn, and some of that.

“One of the first things that we talked about once he had been out here a few days was just his hip flex and his ability to do what you’ve got to do at corner. We know it’s there for safety, and so there is no doubt he’ll get some work at both places. … He is everything as advertised.”

Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
 
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