One former Dallas Cowboys defender wasted no time impressing the nation in his debut with his new team. He dominated from start to finish, making an impact as both an opportunist and as a bona fide playmaker. He was a player many wanted back and a player who leaves a rather significant hole in the lineup.
The player is obviously veteran cornerback Jourdan Lewis.
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Lewis, 30, made quite the impact in his first action as a Jacksonville Jaguar. The eight-year veteran made five tackles, three passes defensed, a quarterback pressure, a key fumble recovery and a game clinching one-handed interception. It was a brilliant debut performance and a reminder of just how good the former third round pick had become as a pro.
Cowboys fans remember Lewis as a fiery player who was willing to do anything to help the team. Despite his small stature, Lewis had no qualms sticking his face in the ceiling fan and making tackles in run support. That level of tenacity endeared him to coaches and teammates alike in Dallas, and now Jacksonville. The Jaguars new star wide receiver-cornerback combo Travis Hunter even said Lewis is “like an uncle.”
When Lewis left Dallas in free agency there were mixed feelings from fans. Some wanted their top nickel man back while others were ready to move on. The Cowboys certainly didn’t want to lose their standout CB and made a significant offer to keep him in the silver and blue. But money alone couldn’t keep Lewis in Dallas, and the Michigan product took his family to Florida for a fresh start. As they say, the rest is history.
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The Cowboys are well positioned to move on. Armed with two former All-Pros at CB, the Cowboys have a starting duo that would make most GMs drool. Yet the absence of Lewis is felt. The Cowboys would like to have DaRon Bland playing the outside but their lack of options inside has pushed him inside to take Lewis’ former post. All signs are indicating things will work out fine, provided that combo of Kaiir Elam and Shavon Revel can hold things down opposite Trevon Diggs this year, but the tenacity, pass rush impact, and open field tackling will always be tough to replace.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: This former Cowboys defender, not named Micah, impresses in his debut
