Who replaces Jourdan Lewis? For months now that’s been one of the unanswered questions tossed around with no crystal-clear answer. The Dallas Cowboys definitely didn’t draft his replacement, nor did they bring in a free agent to replace him either. Instead, lady luck may have intervened when they signed undrafted free agent Zion Childress after the completion of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The former Kentucky Wildcats and Texas State Bobcats safety is making a name for himself with the Cowboys, so much so he’s
a serious candidate to replace Jourdan Lewis as the Cowboys new nickel CB this year. Nothing is set in stone, however, the way Childress is ascending as a player, and the snaps he’s been receiving with the first-team defense, suggest he’s in contention.
With his natural instinct in coverage from the inside, his nose for the ball in run support, and the overall physicality he brings to the position, he seems to check all the boxes Matt Eberflus prefers in his secondary. Consistency is still somewhat of a concern, and yet, the flashes he has shown both in practice and when the bright lights come on is enough to potentially pencil him in as the CB3 to start the season.
As things stand right now, the Cowboys are still anxiously awaiting the return of several of their injured cornerbacks. Trevon Diggs, Josh Butler, and this year’s third-round draft pick Shavon Revel are all still working their way back from season-ending knee injuries last year. The timetable for their returns remains unknown, making Zion Childress’ emergence all the more important.
Until Dallas’ CBs are able to return from their season-ending injuries, Eberflus will have to find some way to navigate around this issue in the early portion of the season. Childress looks as if he’s a player who could quite possibly be the solution, at least early on. Of course, we can’t forget about Israel Mukuamu or Kemon Hall either. Both of them have made some standout plays as well. Still though, Childress is gaining momentum.
With the 2025 NFL season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles approaching quickly, time is running out to figure out who fits where. Fortunately, with a preseason games left to play, as well as the remainder of training camp, things should hopefully start falling into place and become much more clear between now and then. That means there’s still time for players to prove their worth and that includes Childress.
Childress has quickly ascended from practice squad hopeful to potential Jourdan Lewis replacement in a short amount of time, and that makes him someone worth rooting for. It’s going to be really interesting to see how No. 48 continues to progress with what little of the offseason that is left, especially as it pertains to him potentially being the solution to solidifying Dallas’ secondary until help arrives via injured players.
