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A lot... and I mean a lot rides on how well that cornerback group turns out. I think our defensive front with the likes of Miller, Chubb, Casey, and Harris will generate a lot of pressure and make the defensive backs' lives a lot easier-- but the cornerback position is still a wildcard.
AJ Bouye was not a very good CB1 for the Jaguars once Jalen Ramsey left, but one cannot forget that he was once (arguably) the best CB2 in the league just a couple years ago. Perhaps he's a much better scheme fit for Vic Fangio's defense (along with Ed Donatell being known for getting the most out of his DBs) and could excel for us.
Callahan seems to be the forgotten man from the 2019 free agency spree that included Ja'Wuan James and Kareem Jackson. Durability has always been the biggest concern with him in his career, but hopefully a full year to recover has allowed his foot to heal properly. Donatell recently said both him and Chubb are "ready to go" for camp. Let us not also forget that Callahan was one of the best slot corners in the NFL in 2018. We might just see why he was one of the best value signings in free agency last year.
The rest of the cornerback group will be a fierce competition for very few roster spots. I believe Fangio and Donatell have historically kept six corners on the roster. With Bouye and Callahan penned in as defensive starters, there remains the outside CB2 starting spot up for grabs-- as well as three more CBs for depth/ST. It will be very interesting to see the battles in training camp and preseason between Michael Ojemudia, De'Vante Bausby, Isaac Yiadom, Davontae Harris, Duke Dawson, and Essang Bassey. Shakial Taylor and Elijah Holder are also in the mix, and they face just as much of an uphill battle as the others. Personally, I see Ojemudia, Bausby, and Dawson making it out of those guys. I rated Yiadom highly coming out of college two years ago, but I think he's a better fit for a man-heavy defense compared to Fangio's system which calls for a lot of zone coverage. Our rookie third rounder Ojemudia has incredible smarts and football IQ, and will get his chance to develop as a pro and learn the defense. Bausby flashed a lot of promise early last year before his scary neck injury. Dawson can play special teams and has positional versatility as he can play outside corner, nickel, and safety.
AJ Bouye was not a very good CB1 for the Jaguars once Jalen Ramsey left, but one cannot forget that he was once (arguably) the best CB2 in the league just a couple years ago. Perhaps he's a much better scheme fit for Vic Fangio's defense (along with Ed Donatell being known for getting the most out of his DBs) and could excel for us.
Callahan seems to be the forgotten man from the 2019 free agency spree that included Ja'Wuan James and Kareem Jackson. Durability has always been the biggest concern with him in his career, but hopefully a full year to recover has allowed his foot to heal properly. Donatell recently said both him and Chubb are "ready to go" for camp. Let us not also forget that Callahan was one of the best slot corners in the NFL in 2018. We might just see why he was one of the best value signings in free agency last year.
The rest of the cornerback group will be a fierce competition for very few roster spots. I believe Fangio and Donatell have historically kept six corners on the roster. With Bouye and Callahan penned in as defensive starters, there remains the outside CB2 starting spot up for grabs-- as well as three more CBs for depth/ST. It will be very interesting to see the battles in training camp and preseason between Michael Ojemudia, De'Vante Bausby, Isaac Yiadom, Davontae Harris, Duke Dawson, and Essang Bassey. Shakial Taylor and Elijah Holder are also in the mix, and they face just as much of an uphill battle as the others. Personally, I see Ojemudia, Bausby, and Dawson making it out of those guys. I rated Yiadom highly coming out of college two years ago, but I think he's a better fit for a man-heavy defense compared to Fangio's system which calls for a lot of zone coverage. Our rookie third rounder Ojemudia has incredible smarts and football IQ, and will get his chance to develop as a pro and learn the defense. Bausby flashed a lot of promise early last year before his scary neck injury. Dawson can play special teams and has positional versatility as he can play outside corner, nickel, and safety.
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