After a 7-9-1 season and missing the playoffs again, former Seahawks and Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick signs a one-year deal with the Cowboys.

Drafted by the Rams in 2022, he played 15 games that season, recording 43 tackles and 4 pass defenses.

He suffered a torn ACL in 2024 and was waived by the Rams in 2025. Later that year, he had a brief stint with the Seahawks, playing 10 games with 4 solo tackles and 5 pass defenses.

Derion Kendrick played both as a quarterback and wide receiver in high school, earning Gatorade Football Player of the Year with 2,683 yards and 30 touchdowns. There, he started as a wide receiver but switched to cornerback after excelling in defense.

He has recorded a total of 102 tackles, four tackles for loss and three interceptions across three seasons in the NFL .

He played for both the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks last season, playing 10 games for Seattle, two interceptions, defending five passes and seven tackles, before signing up with Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys also signed Cobie Durant, Kendrick’s former Rams teammate, with both leading the team in interceptions in 2025. Despite adding four-time Pro Bowler Quinnen Williams, the defensive line still has weaknesses.

But a Rams’ expert Bret Stuter of Ramblin’ Fan has expressed his doubts about Kendrick regarding the inconsistency in his career. 

“Derion Kendrick is the epitome of hot and cold. He has Hot in the LA Rams secondary, until a 2024 injury benched him for the season. When he returned in 2025, he was ice cold. He was released and signed with the Seattle Seahawks, where he was hot. When their players got healthy, he was released and returned to LA. He was ice and cold once more."

Per Pro Football Focus, Kendrick has only played 95 defensive snaps last season, but he held up well in coverage, allowing just 7 out of 14 targets to be completed, a 6.7 passer rating and 5.1 yards per catch while intercepting two passes. 

Cowboys’ New Signings for the Season

The Cowboys’ biggest move is signing safety Jalen Thompson to a $33M, three-year deal, while Durant, Sam Williams, Otito Ogbonnia, and P.J. Locke join on one-year contracts to boost the defense.

The Cowboys re-signed veteran Corey Ballentine, joining Kendrick and Reddy Steward as their three new offseason cornerbacks. The cornerback room also includes DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel, Cobie Durant, Josh Butler, Caelen Carson, and Trikweze Bridges.

Derion Kendrick’s signing gives the Cowboys a much-needed boost in the secondary, adding experience and playmaking ability that could solidify the defense this season.

Do you agree? If not, why? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Joyita Das