Could veteran cornerback Orlando Scandrick be used as trade bait again?

Might cornerback Orlando Scandrick have already played his last game with the Dallas Cowboys?

He has missed the past three games with fractured bones in his back and with the Cowboys already out of the playoff chase, there is no reason for him to suit for the season final against the Philadelphia Eagles.

It all begs the question of whether he will back in 2018.

Scandrick, who will be 31 next season, remains under contract through 2019, but his base salaries of $3 million and $4 million over the next two years give the Cowboys the flexibility to keep him or move in another direction.

The promise of the young secondary without him the past few weeks makes the latter a definite possibility.

Rookies Chido Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis have played well on the outside the past two weeks along with second-year man Anthony Brown, showing competitiveness and toughness, despite a few forgettable moments.

Rookie Xavier Woods has held his own replacing Scandrick in the slot.

The group has grown and will only get better, making the more expensive Scandrick a potential progress stopper in 2018.

The Cowboys tried to trade Scandrick for New Orleans Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro during the draft last year, according to a source.

He could potentially be used as trade bait for help elsewhere again in 2018.

This story was originally published December 27, 2017 at 9:38 AM with the headline "Could veteran cornerback Orlando Scandrick be used as trade bait again?."