Kelvin Joseph Injury Update: 'Full Go' for Cowboys Camp?

Dallas has depth at corner. But it's a luxury that doesn't last forever - and the Cowboys hope Joseph's ascension can begin in Oxnard.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are not giving up on Kelvin Joseph, even as other cornerbacks are making positive headlines.

CowboysSI.com on Thursday asked coach Mike McCarthy about Joseph being unable to work in recent weeks - even as he's been dressed out for OTAs and minicamp.

McCarthy told us he missed the end of work in the spring with a “minor” injury, adding that he expects Joseph to be “full go” at the start of training camp.

Dallas is of course no stranger to employing prolific defensive backs in the secondary. And the Cowboys would like for Joseph to ascend to that level.

In 2021, Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs led all cornerbacks with 11 interceptions, en route to a first-team All-Pro selection. The 23-year-old is considered one of the top players at his position heading into the 2022 season. … and he had an outstanding first day of this week’s minicamp at The Star as well.

Meanwhile, another “prominent” name, Joseph, is making news in another direction. There is the murder investigation problem, most tragically. And on a far lesser level, there is the fact that again on Tuesday the 2021 second-round pick - expected to compete for a starting job this year - was dressed but not participating.

So ... Anthony Brown remains in charge.

Per a recent ranking from NFL.com, cornerback Brown had himself a season….as in a’ top 10’ season…in 2021 as a cover cornerback.

Here is NFL Next Gen Stats’ take on Brown’s performance in coverage for the previous year.

Rank: 6

Passer rating allowed: 75.8

Catch rate allowed below expectation: -6.4%

Tight window pct: 28.2%

Target rate: 21.7%

Average separation: 2.6 yards

Targeted expected points added: -19

We always get a few surprises with these rankings, and Cowboys fans will likely raise an eyebrow at this one. (I know I did.) For much of 2021, it felt like Brown was getting attention for being on the wrong end of a completion, but his total résumé tells a different story. Brown saw more targets as the nearest defender than any other player in 2021 with 117, yet he was consistently right there to make a play — or, at the very least, make a completion difficult. Despite the high volume of targets, Brown’s tight-window rate was over 28 percent, and he allowed the sixth-lowest completion percentage among defensive backs (49.6). His completion percentage allowed below expectation finished at a solid -6.4 percent, and he finished with the sixth-lowest targeted EPA on deep balls (-6.8). While Trevon Diggs attracted the lion’s share of positive praise in 2021, Brown was there on the other side playing a solid No. 2 cornerback. -Nick Shook

With the spotlight focused on Diggs, Brown quietly provided stout coverage on the opposite side of Dallas’ defensive backfield. The 28-year-old Purdue product combined for 71 tackles, logging 14 passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one touchdown. He was often charged with the duty of blanketing opposing teams’ top route runners, performing well, despite some glaring occasional struggles. However, Brown’s ability to contain his opponent did not go unnoticed, as evident by NFL.com’s job evaluation.

To complement the success of both Diggs and Brown, Dallas is undoubtedly hoping that fellow corners Joseph and Nashon Wright will make notable improvements in their respective second seasons with the team. However, knowing that their two top options are strong enough to anchor a formidable secondary, both Joseph and Wright have the luxury of developing at their own pace, barring injury.

But it's a luxury that doesn't last forever - and the Cowboys hope Joseph's ascension can begin in Oxnard.

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