Cowboys Need More 'Speed' on Defense; Do They Already Have It?

The Dallas Cowboys spent two draft picks acquiring Joey Porter Jr. to help repair their secondary.

And after all that, maybe what Christian Parker's defense really needs is a little more Speed …

Ameer Speed, that is.

Yes, the former UFL cornerback. The one who arrived in June without much fanfare and has spent most of his NFL career fighting for opportunities.

As Dallas continues searching for answers in its secondary, perhaps it's time to give him a few more reps.

The Cowboys didn't acquire Porter because everything was going according to plan. Their defense has struggled against the pass, and another established cornerback was supposed to help address a problem that hasn't gone away.

DaRon Bland has endured a difficult start, a far cry from the ballhawking performances that made him an All-Pro. Shavon Revel, meanwhile, remains a developing young cornerback with *occasionally* encouraging moments of his own.

So ... Dallas isn't exactly in a position to stop exploring its options.

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Speed, for one, has something working in his favor.

He looks an awful lot like the kind of cornerback the Cowboys keep trying to acquire.

At 6-foot-3 with 32⅝-inch arms and a 78¾-inch wingspan, Speed possesses the length Dallas has historically valued at the position — and his 4.34-second 40-yard dash at his 2023 pro day makes that physical profile even more interesting.

Those traits matter to Parker, too.

"He's a high-level coverage player, plays with great length," Parker said of Porter after his acquisition.

Parker also called Porter a "boundary eraser," explaining how a dependable outside cornerback can free up resources elsewhere in the defense.

Speed hasn't established himself as anything approaching that kind of player. But the physical tools Dallas values are already there. And he's caught the attention of at least one Cowboys coach - special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen. 

"He's got size, speed, length, and he just kept winning," Sorensen said.

Now, that praise came for his special teams work — not his coverage ability. But it's evidence that Speed has done more than simply show up with impressive measurements.

He's already earned one role in Dallas.

Why not see whether he can earn another?

Speed hasn't exactly been a fixture in Parker's secondary, playing 76 defensive snaps through five games compared to 95 on special teams.

But his limited coverage opportunities offer at least some encouragement.

Per Pro Football Reference, Speed has been targeted twice, allowing one reception for eight yards and no touchdowns.

Two targets aren't enough to draw sweeping conclusions about his coverage ability. They do, however, provide a starting point for evaluating what Speed might offer with a larger workload.

And it's not as though Dallas would be taking a chance on someone unfamiliar with fighting for his place.

Originally a sixth-round selection of the New England Patriots in 2023, Speed spent five seasons at Georgia before finishing his college career at Michigan State. His NFL journey included stops with several organizations before he landed with the Houston Gamblers earlier this year.

In five UFL games, Speed recorded 20 tackles and two passes defended, leading Houston in tackles three times.

Dallas signed him in June.

A few months later, he's contributing on special teams and making a case for more defensive responsibilities.

There's something worth exploring there.

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And the Cowboys know better than most that spring football can produce valuable contributors.

Brandon Aubrey and KaVontae Turpin both made their way to Dallas from spring leagues before earning Pro Bowl recognition. Speed has a long way to go before his name belongs alongside theirs, but his path to the Cowboys shouldn't work against him.

Neither should the fact that Dallas didn't spend a draft pick acquiring him.

Porter's arrival gives Dallas another established option, while Bland and Revel remain important pieces of Parker's plans. Giving Speed more opportunities wouldn't require abandoning either player or declaring the cornerback competition settled.

It would simply give the Cowboys another chance to learn something about their own roster.

And considering the state of their secondary, that's hardly a bad investment.

The Cowboys didn't spend two draft picks on Porter because they were satisfied with their defense. They recognized a problem and went looking for another option.

Fair enough.

But finding answers shouldn't stop with the players who cost the most to acquire.

Speed has the length Parker values, the athleticism to warrant consideration and enough encouraging evidence to justify a longer look. Nobody needs to hand him a starting job.

Just give him a chance to earn one.

After spending so much time looking elsewhere for help, the Cowboys might want to see how much Speed they've already got.