On Sunday, September 8, the Dallas Cowboys beat the Cleveland Browns 33-17. On Sunday, the Cowboys extended Dak Prescott’s four-year contract, making him the NFL’s highest-paid player.
Despite the positive start to the NFL season, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder has identified areas where the Cowboys need to improve.
Ahkello Witherspoon is “surprisingly” still available
In a Sept. 9 article, Holder praised the Cowboys’ ability to fight the Browns, calling it a “strong force.” Malik lists center as the Cowboys’ worst vulnerability, followed by left tackle, running back, offensive line and cornerback. Holder recommends that the Cowboys contract cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon as soon as possible to provide assistance.
The Cowboys are in need of veteran cornerbacks, as DaRon Bland is currently on injured reserve. Meanwhile, it’s surprising that Witherspoon remains available,” he said of the free agent.
“Despite previous injury issues, he recently started all Rams games and recorded a career-high 14 passes defended.” According to Pro Football Focus, the seven-year pro had a low passer rating of 76.7 when targeted.
His conclusion was: “So, this could be a situation where the stars align given the team’s need at cornerback and Witherspoon’s starting experience.”
In a February 2024 “Free Agent Spotlight” on the Rams’ website, writer Stu Jackson described Witherspoon as a “stabilizing veteran presence in the Rams secondary.”
“Most notable, he played and started in every regular season game for the first time in his career, likely the carryover from finding a new trainer and program that he hadn’t had earlier in his career last offseason in an effort to enter this season as healthy as possible,” Jackson told reporters.
Witherspoon began his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played from 2017 to 2020. After signing with the Seattle Seahawks in March 2021, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in September of that year. He joined the Rams in June 2023.
