Orlando Scandrick has heard the notion that he could be converted into a hybrid cornerback/safety so the Cowboys can get him on the field more. He doesn't want to hear it.
"Not happening," Scandrick told Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
Folks around the Cowboys aren't so sure. The team wants to get their best players on the field. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com pointed out, that might include using four cornerbacks at times. That likely means at least one of the cornerbacks has to take on some safety-like responsibilities. There was talk of doing this with Scandrick under Wade Phillips, too.
"It's not the schematics of things," Scandrick said. "A couple of years ago, we had a different defensive coordinator. Brodney Pool, Gerald Sensabaugh and Barry Church are our safeties. Orlando Scandrick, Morris Claiborne, Brandon Carr and Mike Jenkins are our corners."
Cornerbacks don't like to be told they are safeties. It usually means you have inferior cover skills and/or speed. Safeties make less money. Scandrick might be resistant to the term, but the reality is that a lot of teams are making players hybrid cornerback/safeties. That's one of the only ways to match up with catch-first tight ends or formations with four players lined up wide.
Scandrick is probably fourth in line at cornerback, but he's more talented than any Cowboys free safety. So that means Scandrick may be a safety-like player whether he likes it or not.
"I have no idea what they have planned," Scandrick said.
