The Dallas Cowboys completed a cornerback swap this week ahead of the NFL roster deadline, trading former 2021 draft pick Kelvin Joseph for Miami Dolphins DB Noah Igbinoghene.
Igbinogene was a first-round draft pick in 2020 after a stellar junior season at Auburn. The Tigers product has had more downs than ups in the NFL over three seasons. His move to Dallas gives him a rare chance at a do-over.
“Definitely,” Igbinoghene said of his fresh start in Dallas, via DallasCowboys.com. “I feel like I honestly needed it. I can say my career hasn’t gone up to my expectations, but I’m still young. I’m 23 years old. When I came in, I was 20 years old. There’s a lot of stuff I went through, but it made me the man I am today. I get a new, fresh start with a new opportunity and new, fresh faces.
“I get to gain my respect again on a new team and show them what I can do.”
“You know my story: I went to Miami and it didn’t really go how I planned for it to go,” he added. “But God has blessed me with a new opportunity and a fresh start. I get to start over, start new, and I get to show this coaching staff and my new teammates what I can do so they can respect and trust me, more importantly, when I get on the field.”
Igbinoghene ready to serve
Not only does Igbinoghene get a fresh start with Dallas, but he even has a chance to play with the Cowboys currently dealing with injuries in the secondary.
The Alabama native is hoping to squeeze his more veteran teammates for tips and advice to continue developing his game while playing whatever position Dan Quinn needs him to.
“It’s a blessing,” Igbinoghene said. “I’m excited to get to work and to be a part of this team. … It’s an amazing opportunity to be here and play for this team. I’m hoping to thrive here. I’m going to put the work in and see how it goes.
“… Whatever they want me to do, I’m going to do it. Whether that’s special teams, defense, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to do it. … I just want to help and serve this team as best I can.”
Igbinoghene collected 29 stops and an interception while with the Dolphins. He’ll have the opportunity to play against his former team when the Cowboys face Miami for a Christmas Eve showdown on FOX at 4:25 p.m. ET.
More must-reads: