Sometimes, you don’t realize what a player meant to your defense until he’s gone. One season after letting Jourdan Lewis walk, Jerry Jones publicly admitted the Dallas Cowboys underestimated the impact of losing their longtime nickel corner and how costly that decision turned out to be. It didn’t go unnoticed by the former Cowboy, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had a response of his own waiting once those comments surfaced.

Once those comments surfaced, Lewis didn’t hesitate to respond. Re-sharing Walker’s post, the veteran corner replied simply, “You know it’s all love!”

And the response felt genuine. Lewis’ résumé in Dallas backs it up. Over eight seasons, he appeared in 115 regular-season games and four playoff games, recording 10 interceptions, 44 pass breakups, 9.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, and 386 total tackles. Even in his final year with the Cowboys, he remained productive. He finished the 2024 season with an interception, eight pass breakups, a forced fumble, a sack, three tackles for loss, and 71 total tackles. Then came free agency in 2025, and Dallas let him walk.

 “We lost the nickel, and it hurt us more than we thought,” Jones admitted the Cowboys misjudged how difficult Lewis would be to replace, according to Patrik Walker of Cowboys.com.

“The nickel was a serious loss for us. It made a big difference not having [Lewis] out there. And, so, we have got to get better there. The number one thing was we thought —when we lost our nickel last year — we could Bland in and out, and get him going back and forth. He wasn’t quite as suited to getting inside and being a nickel as we thought he would be … So that was a little planning that didn’t work out on the plan.”

That admission came after a season in which Dallas poured significant money into its secondary elsewhere, investing more than $180 million since 2023, including major extensions for Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, but opting not to retain its established slot corner. Lewis, meanwhile, was coming off what many considered the best season of his career.

But as per Lewis in March 2025, the timing had felt right to move on. 

“It’s funny. Every offseason, I think I am. But this time, it just felt a little different. Because, you know, I had the season I had last year, and people started to recognize the type of player I was. So, you know, it couldn’t be hidden anymore, and couldn’t give me, you know, just the team-friendly deals anymore. So that’s when I recognized, when I had the year, and I felt the buzz. I knew that, you know, maybe it might be my time to, you know, separate.”

And as the separation happened, the fallout was hard to ignore. Without a stable presence at slot corner, the Cowboys’ defense struggled throughout the season. Dallas finished 30th in total defense, dead last in passing defense at 251.5 yards per game, and last on third down, allowing conversions on more than 47% of attempts.

In the end, the contrast was stark. Dallas was eliminated from the playoffs, still searching for answers at nickel corner. Lewis, meanwhile, helped Jacksonville secure a postseason berth. While he won’t be available in the playoffs, he remains ready to contribute to the young secondary of the Jaguars.

Jaguars’ DC praised Jourdan Lewis for helping the secondary

After signing a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million guaranteed last March, Jourdan Lewis quickly made his presence felt in Jacksonville’s secondary. In 12 games, the veteran corner recorded 39 total tackles, two interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He also limited opposing receivers to just 7.6 yards per catch while adding four pass breakups, playing a key role in securing a playoff berth.

That said, Lewis won’t be available for the postseason. The 30-year-old suffered a foot injury during the Jaguars’ 34–20 Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos. With surgery required to repair the injury, Jacksonville placed Lewis on season-ending injured reserve, officially closing the book on his 2025 campaign. Even so, his impact hasn’t disappeared. Lewis has remained heavily involved behind the scenes, especially with a young defensive back group.

Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile highlighted that leadership, noting, “Without a doubt. He has at certain points in the season really done a great job of helping us in every which way he can. Even in the game, you watch him on the sideline, he’s really not too far from me. He gets the call. He’s helping guys when they come off the field. He’s talking to guys who aren’t in the game at that moment. And he’s about as locked in as anybody on the team and on the staff.”

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Now, the Jaguars turn their attention to a Wild Card matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Lewis won’t be on the field, but his influence remains part of the equation as Jacksonville looks to finish its season on a high note.