EDGE Nick Bosa Arrives Dallas Cowboys Head Quarters For Official Contract Signing Worth Carson says he feels at ease playing anywhere they ask him to, and he anticipates being more of a Bland type player.
“Not really,” he said when asked if playing outside and inside was very different. “Because you’re covering somebody regardless and then you’re in zone (coverage), you’re in zone regardless. Not too much a difference.”
Carson will have a very unique mentor on the Cowboys roster in that sense as DaRon Bland’s career path had him play inside as a rookie before he took on a role outside following Trevon Diggs’ injury early in the 2023 season. Bland went on to win All-Pro.
The reason? He was locking everybody up. Doing so as a true freshman, his roommate promptly gave him the moniker.
Coming into the NFL, Carson’s biggest calling card is his flexibility. At college, he lined up primarily at wide corner but when needed moved inside. In 2023, he essentially split the snaps 50/50 in a couple of games, moving around as needed.
“That was a big thing with them drafting me and people who were looking at me in the draft,” Carson told reporters during rookie minicamp. “Just versatility, I think I can play inside and outside, so I think I can show that.”
The rise of the nickelback, with some coaches even going so far as to label it the most challenging position on defense, has been a major discussion topic over the past few years as passing offenses gain traction in the NFL.
In addition to covering wide receivers racing up the seam on vertical routes, corners that man the slot must worry about fitting the run and making the tackle in the box. It’s a challenging position.
Because of this, it was almost ideal when Carson disregarded all of the discussion and explained why, in his opinion, playing inside and outside are equivalent.
