2025 is likely going to be a big year for Caelen Carson.
The Dallas Cowboys lost All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs after two games in 2023, but they got an insane season from DaRon Bland as he led the NFL with nine interceptions and set a record with five touchdown returns, and also veteran Stephon Gilmore had a solid year. However, with Gilmore not returning, the Cowboys needed to prioritize getting a cornerback, and they took Caelen Carson in the fifth round out of Wake Forest.
He came into the league with a reputation for being a physical corner that was sticky in coverage and would fight wide receivers through routes. After showing flashes of that during the offseason program, Carson would be put into the starting lineup due to Bland being on injured reserve with a foot issue. Against the Cleveland Browns in the season opener, Carson did give up a touchdown to Jerry Juedy. However, he only allowed a completion percentage of 55% on nine targets, and he also added two pass breakups and four tackles (all solo). Over the next two games, some of the flaws in his game began to show as he would get beat off the line while also getting confused by double moves. That’s expected at some point with a rookie, though.
Unfortunately, Carson would suffer a shoulder injury in Week 3 versus the Baltimore Ravens and would sit out the next five games. Carson made his return in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons. However, it would be a continuation of his struggles over the next few games. In fact, after Week 10, Carson had given up 16 receptions on 19 targets over a four-game span, meaning he was turning into a liability. Then disaster struck as Carson’s lingering shoulder injury caused him to have season-ending surgery. He would miss the final seven games.
As Carson looks to his second year, the first thing is to stay healthy. Missing 11 games as a rookie isn’t ideal at all. Then, when adding in the fact that he struggled over his last several outings, there’s certainly aspects of his game that he has to get corrected. The Cowboys need for him to find the solutions rather quickly for a few reasons.
Diggs missed the final month of the 2024 campaign as he suffered an injury to his left knee, which required chondral tissue graft surgery. His recovery time could go into training camp or beyond, which would handicap the Cowboys at cornerback. Bland is going into a contract year, and he just came off an injury. So, the Cowboys may choose to let him play out his deal in 2025. Then, there’s Jourdan Lewis, who is set to be a free agent, which makes his future in Dallas uncertain.
There’s also the factor that Dallas doesn’t do a lot in free agency, so the likelihood of adding talent in that way is minimal to nonexistent. The Cowboys should draft another cornerback, but there’s no telling how long that player will take to develop if that’s the case. This means Carson will likely be relied upon a lot early and often next season, which will require his leaning process to speed up.
