Despite joining the Cowboys’ secondary just a few months ago as a free agent, Derion Kendrick is already close to becoming an afterthought. With Dallas’ other moves at cornerback and safety, Kendrick enters training camp with unusually thin job security for a veteran free agent addition.
Background
Years in NFL: 4
Acquired by: Free agency (2026)
Kendrick entered the NFL with red flags from disciplinary issues at Clemson that eventually led to his transfer to Georgia. But after one year with the Bulldogs, which
included the 2021 national championship, Kendrick had done enough to remain on teams’ draft radar. His athletic numbers weren’t great, particularly a 4.79 forty time, but his ball skills and short-range coverage ability gave him solid potential as a nickel corner. They were enough to give him drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the Rams.
Kendrick was forced into action quickly during Los Angeles’ injury-plagued 2022 season. He started fives games from Weeks 3-8, then another in Week 13, and played some major minutes in other games during the middle of the year. The Rams went 2-6 in the games where Kendrick had his highest snap counts. Kendrick was benched for the final five games of his rookie year.
He’d return in 2023 to a significant defensive role, playing in all 17 games with 12 starts. But in addition to continued performance issues, Kendrick was arrested in October for illegal possession of a concealed weapon. Charges were eventuallty dismissed, but it was a reminder of the character concerns that hurt his college career.
Los Angeles stuck with Kendrick through the 2024 offseason, but then he suffered a major knee injury early in training camp. He returned in 2025 to compete for his old job, but was released at final cuts. The division-rival Seahawks claimed Kendrick off waivers, and he played in 10 games for them in a down-roster role. He was released after Week 12, and interestingly, was claimed by his former team. He’d play five games for Los Angeles to finish out the year, mostly on special teams.
Despite only being a year removed from his ACL tear, Kendrick was able to improve his performance grades in last season’s limited playing time. Pro Football Focus gave him a 74.7 rating in 2025, a big jump from his 59.7 grade during the 2023 season. Those numbers are a bit skewed by the big disparity in his playing time and situations between those two years, but they at least gave him something positive going into free agency.
Contract Status
Years Left: 1
2026 Cap Hit: $1.3 million
Kendrick’s low stock allowed Dallas to get him at a minimal salary with no guaranteed money. It may be unfair to call him a “camp body” at this point, but he’s definitely not working from a secure foothold.
2026 Projections
Role: Backup CB
Roster Chance: 20%
With Dallas having already added Cobie Durant at corner, plus Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke at safety, earlier in March, Kendrick’s arrival didn’t make waves. Now that Caleb Downs and Devin Moore have arrived through the draft, even his niche ability as a nickel corner may not be enough to get Kendrick onto the 53-man roster.
Because of the slot corner potential in safeties like Downs, Locke, and Thompson, there’s less need for a CB who doesn’t give you much as an outside option. Dallas already has a couple of those guys in Reddy Steward and Zion Childress, too. And even if Kendrick did have more versatility, he’d be up against Durant, Moore, Caelen Carson, Josh Butler, and others for those depth spots.
You can really follow the money on this one to see where Kendrick stands. Zero guaranteed money and a nearly veteran-minimum salary tells you a lot about how Dallas sees him: more of an insurance policy for filling a specific role. As long as the Cowboys feel good about their younger prospects, or the slot versatility of those safeties, that policy is probably getting cancelled at final cuts. Kendrick’s going to need an impressive showing this summer, and some struggles from his fellow competitors, to stick around.
Check out our previous player profiles from this series:
RB Israel Abanikanda
C Cooper Beebe
G Tyler Booker
S Alijah Clark
EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
TE Jake Ferguson
S Malik Hooker
EDGE James Houston
WR Jordan Hudson
LB Shemar James
G Trevor Keegan
S P.J. Locke
FB Hunter Luepke
RB Phil Mafah
QB Joe Milton III
WR Jonathan Mingo
CB Devin Moore
LB DeMarvion Overshown
TE DJ Rogers
LS Trent Sieg
WR Anthony Smith
OT Terence Steele
CB Reddy Steward
DT Jay Toia
EDGE Tyrus Wheat
EDGE Sam Williams
