Wide Receivers in the draft

[morasp]

With a lot of uncertainty with the Cowboys wide receivers it's worth taking a look at the position gourp in the upcoming draft. I'll list the current roster and draft prospects and their draft grade from NFL.com which was just updated and should at least keep it consistent on a relative basis.

Amari Cooper 7.1 under contract cut or trade candidate
Cee Dee Lamb 6.81 under contract
Garrett Wilson 6.5
Treylon Burks 6.5
Jameson Williams 6.48
Chris Olave 6.46
Drake London 6.34
Jahon Dotson 6.33

Jalen Tolbert 6.24
George Pickens 6.23
Christian Watson 6.21
Michael Gallup 6.2 free agent

Skyy Moore 6.19
John Metchie 6.18
Khalil Shakir 6.18
Wan'Dale Robinson 6.17
David Bell 6.11
Makai Polk 6.1
Noah Brown 6.1 under contract
Danny Gray 6.0
Kevin Austin 6.0
Alan Pierce 5.99
Simi Fehoko 5.93 under contract
Cedrick Wilson 5.9 free agent

 

[Cowboyny]

It looks like we just need another #3 WR, second group would be ideal, a few in the 3rd could work as well.

 

[morasp]

It looks like we just need another #3 WR, second group would be ideal, a few in the 3rd could work as well.

Taking into account the rookie learning curve they could upgrade Gallup if he leaves but not Cooper. When I broke down the Bengals skill positions they were all first or second rounders.

 

[Cowboyny]

Taking into account the rookie learning curve they could upgrade Gallup if he leaves but not Cooper. When I broke down the Bengals skill positions they were all first or second rounders.

Lamb is the Cooper replacement.

 

[morasp]

Lamb is the Cooper replacement.

I think that Cooper is better than Lamb but if they could get someone who doesn't disappear in games it could be an upgrade.

 

[Cowboyny]

I think that Cooper is better than Lamb but if they could get someone who doesn't disappear in games it could be an upgrade.

Lamb isn’t a finished product and will get an opportunity to show he is a #1. We don’t need 3 elite receivers, just three complementary ones

 

[morasp]

Lamb isn’t a finished product and will get an opportunity to show he is a #1. We don’t need 3 elite receivers, just three complementary ones

I hope Lamb continues to develop but so far in the games Amari missed we were terrible. Either way we'll be worse than last year.

 

[morasp]

 

[Cowboyny]

I hope Lamb continues to develop but so far in the games Amari missed we were terrible. Either way we'll be worse than last year.

On paper, yes, but young players can take the next step too. Lamb is by far the more durable player, has to do better with his drops and become a better route runner. I don't think Gallup is fully developed either. Add a good #3 WR to the group who can spot start in case of injury and the team is quite fine at the position. Perhaps adding another pass catching TE can also help out the passing game and hopeful even the run.

 

[morasp]

On paper, yes, but young players can take the next step too. Lamb is by far the more durable player, has to do better with his drops and become a better route runner. I don't think Gallup is fully developed either. Add a good #3 WR to the group who can spot start in case of injury and the team is quite fine at the position. Perhaps adding another pass catching TE can also help out the passing game and hopeful even the run.

I'm all for it, but it's all philosophical until they actually do it. I could also see them improving the OL thus the running game and getting guys open with play action. The bottom line is we wasted another first round pick on Cooper and they're starting to add up.

 

[Cowboyny]

I'm all for it, but it's all philosophical until they actually do it. I could also see them improving the OL thus the running game and getting guys open with play action. The bottom line is we wasted another first round pick on Cooper.

We got a few good seasons out of Cooper, I don't think it was a wasted pick. Problem is, they made the decision to draft Lamb and couldn't pay all 3 receivers top money. I would of rather kept Cooper over Gallup, but they decided to go in the other direction.

 

[morasp]

We got a few good seasons out of Cooper, I don't think it was a wasted pick. Problem is, they made the decision to draft Lamb and couldn't pay all 3 receivers top money. I would of rather kept Cooper over Gallup, but they decided to go in the other direction.

I'll disagree, any player that costs a first round pick should at least last five years and best case is they earn a second contract.

 

[Cowboyny]

I'll disagree, any player that costs a first round pick should at least last five years and best case is they earn a second contract.

Well they paid an extra premium for a known, developed player not a prospect entering the league.

 

[cowboyec]

from group1...treylon burks,arkansas.

from group2...jalen tolbert,s alabama

from group3...david bell,purdue

just gimmie 1 of'm

 

[unionjack8]

Lamb is the Cooper replacement.

Yeah he's not shown me he's anything more than a #2, I woukd not want to rely on him leading this teams wr corps

 

[Xavier187]

If Dallas trades Collins and Cooper we need to draft two WRs.
Burks would be my first choice then either Peirce or Moore.
This sets us up down the road

 

[cnuball21]

Lamb is the Cooper replacement.

Great post that very few are seeming to grasp…

If we sign Gallup I’d be hard pressed to just 24 on a WR. Even in the 2nd, needs to be a blinking light.

Get a quality player in the mid rounds for depth and we’re fine.

 

[Gaede]

Great post that very few are seeming to grasp…

If we sign Gallup I’d be hard pressed to just 24 on a WR. Even in the 2nd, needs to be a blinking light.

Get a quality player in the mid rounds for depth and we’re fine.

There should be plenty of good options for a 3rd receiver in 2. End of round 3, I'm not so sure. WRs and CBs tend to go in 2 and early 3

 

[morasp]

Our WR group is getting smaller. My conclusion is that if they need someone in the draft to come and contribute next year they probably need to look at the first grouping the farther up the better. Those six guys will probably be gone by our second round pick. If they are counting on Lamb, Gallup who was hurt last year came back and got hurt again, Brown, and Simi we are in a world of hurt. If they are planning on signing a FA, that market looks extremely thin and a little pricey.

 

[morasp]

I was curios about what we could expect if we drafted a WR and needed year one production to replace a free agency loss so I broke down last years draft class with our WR group and this years draft class superimposed. The rows are draft grade, players name, total receptions, and total yards. It looks like they might be able to replace some or all of Cooper's production with one of the top four WRs. They could probably replace some of Wilson's production in the second tier. They could probably get some production from the third tier and the fourth tier would be mostly developmental like Simi last year. The steal of the draft was by the Lions who picked Amon-Ra St. Brown on day three with the seventh pick in round four.

7.13 Devonta Smith 64 rec, 916 yds
7.12J'Mar Chase 81 rec, 1455 yds
Cee Dee Lamb 79 rec, 1102 yds
6.86 Jaylen Waddle 104 rec, 1015 yds
Amari Cooper 68 rec, 865 yds
6.50 Garrett Wilson
6.50 Treylon Burk
6.48 Jameson Williams
6.46 Chris Olave
6.42 Elijah Moore 64 rec, 916 yds
6.36 Kadarius Toney 39 rec, 420 yds
6.34 Terrace Marshall 17 rec, 138 yds
6.34 Drake London
6.33 Jahon Dotson

6.28 Nico Collins 33 rec, 446 yds
6.27 Rashod Bateman 46 rec, 515 yds
Ced Wilson 45 rec, 602 yds
6.25 Tylan Wallace 2 rec, 23 yds
6.25 Amari Rodgers 4 rec, 45 yds
6.24 Jalen Tolbert
6.24 Josh Palmer 33 rec, 353 yds
6.23 George Pickens
6.22 Rondale Moore 54 rec, 435 yds
6.21 Amon-Ra St. Brown 90 rec, 912 yds
6.21 Christian Watson
Noah Brown 39 rec, 425 yds
Michael Gallup 35 rec, 445 yds

6.19 Dyami Brown 12 rec, 165 yds
6.19 Skyy Moore
6.18 John Metchie
6.18 Khalil Shakir
6.17 Wan'Dale Robinson
6.14 D'Wayne Eskridge 10 rec, 64 yds
6.11 DavidBell
6.1 Makai Polk
6.0 Shi Smith 6 rec, 104 yds
6.0 Anthony Schwartz 10 rec, 135 yds
6.0 Jacob Harris 0 rec, 0 yds
6.0 Kawaan Baker 0 rec, 0 yds
6.0 Danny Gray
6.0 Kevin Austin

5.97 Frank Darby 1 rec, 10 yds
5.97 Tutu Atwell 0 rec, 0 yds
5.92 Marquez Stevenson 0 rec, 0 yds
5.93 Simi Fehoko 0 rec, 0 yds