Jumbo075
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It’s the beginning of July, and the Cowboys are on their annual break. The hustle and bustle of the NFL Acquisitions Season is over, and Training Camp is right around the corner. No position group on the Cowboys team went through as much renovation as the Wide Receiver Corps. Gone are Dez Bryant, Ryan Switzer, and Brice Butler and the Cowboys are left with a whole lot of nothing to replace them.
I understand that many fans were frustrated with the drop in production from Dez Bryant since Tony Romo was no longer throwing him passes. Romo and Bryant had worked together for many, many hours to perfect their on-field chemistry, and they seemed to fit one another. After Dez got injured in Game 1 of 2015, and Romo got injured in Game 2, Bryant hasn’t been able to get back to that same level of performance he had from 2012 – 2014, when he was simply the single most productive wide receiver in the NFL.
For better or worse, Bryant was never able to find that same on-field chemistry with Dak Prescott. And with the Cowboys committed to making Dak Prescott their new franchise QB, it became apparent that Bryant wasn’t worth the resources the Cowboys poured into him following his stellar 3-year run with Romo. With so many good young players coming up for new contracts over the next 2-3 years, the Cowboys needed to reallocate their resources. So, they made an understandable, though a little bit tragic, decision to cut Bryant loose and move in another direction.
But that leaves the Cowboys without a true #1 receiver on the team. I know that some believe that will improve the team. But complaining about being “forced” to feed your #1 receiver opportunities is a little bit like a married person complaining about being “forced” to have sex with their spouse. It’s not something you have to do. It’s something you get to do. And quarterbacks with true #1 receivers don’t complain about having a great passing game partner on the field with them.
So don’t feed me the line that Dak is “better” when he’s not “forced” to throw to Dez. The reason for the Dak/Dez divorce is not because Dak is better without a #1 receiver. It’s just that he was never able to connect with Dez in a meaningful way, as Romo had done previously. The search for a new #1 receiver is officially on, and until the Cowboys find one, they’ll be worse off than they would be with a stud receiver that opposing defenses have to game plan against.
#1 Receiver- Flanker
Let’s take a look at the current candidates to replace Dez as the Cowboys #1 receiving threat. First off, let’s eliminate all the veteran wide receivers on the Cowboys roster. Every single one of them, Williams, Beasley, Hurns, Thompson and Austin have proven they aren’t #1 receiving threats in the NFL.
That leaves the rookies and 2nd year players: Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown, and Lance Lenoir. Of these 4 players, Gallup has the best pedigree. And Gallup, Wilson and Lenoir were all #1 receiving threats on their teams in college. Brown, on the other hand, was a 2nd or 3rd receiver at Ohio State, so it’s very unlikely that he’ll suddenly blossom into a #1 receiver in the NFL.
If the Cowboys were correct in their talent evaluations, Michael Gallup was grouped together in a tight bunch with a bunch of other receivers that had 2nd round grades. But Cedrick Wilson has already impressed coaches in OTA’s and has the size to become a red-zone threat. Both Gallup and Wilson have similar speed to HOF Cowboys Wide Receiver Michael Irvin.
Lance Lenoir is a wild card. We have all read reports of how he’s transformed his body this offseason, and how much he and Dak have been working together to develop their on-field rapport. In OTA’s, it was reported that the work they’ve put in together this offseason was readily visible and apparent for all to see. It’s a long-shot, but there is a chance that he could become for Dak what the original #88, Drew Pearson, was for Roger Staubach – his go to guy. Lenoir, as an undrafted free agent, has the same pedigree that Pearson had.
Bottom Line: The Cowboys don’t have an apparent #1 receiver. We can only hope that Gallup or Wilson will take the opportunities they will be given, and force their way into the starting lineup. Otherwise, I expect the Cowboys to be looking for another #1 receiver in the 2019 draft.
#2 Receiver – Split End
Let’s just be honest. Tight End Jason Witten was the #2 option in the Cowboys passing attack, not a wide receiver. But this article is about wide receivers, so we’ll save that discussion about tight ends for later.
Both Terrance Williams and Alan Hurns have proven to be steady #2 Receivers in the NFL. They have had almost identical annual production rates over the course of their careers. Hurns has slightly better per game production, but he has a history of injuries, while Williams has never missed a game for the Cowboys. Williams is also a stellar down-field blocker, which is very important for the Cowboys running game.
Contractually, the Cowboys signed Gallup to a 1-year deal, with a team option for a 2nd year. Williams salary this season is guaranteed. Barring a surprise from one of the rookies, or another injury to Hurns, the Cowboys will likely open the season with Hurns and Williams as their starters.
For those disappointed in Williams’ 2015 performance, when he had an opportunity to perform as a #1 threat, but wasn’t up to the task, prepare to be just as disappointed with Hurns in 2018. Neither Hurns, nor Williams will keep cause Defensive Coordinators to lose sleep in 2018. But both are solid NFL quality receivers that will make occasional plays.
#3 Receiver – Slot
Cole Beasley is the incumbent Slot Receiver for the Cowboys. He’s proven to be a reliable threat, but as was shown last year, he can be taken out of the game at times when defenses scheme against him. He’s more quick than fast, and he isn’t a threat on a go route. On the other hand, Tavon Austin has speed to burn. He’s as quick as Beasley, and the Cowboys picked him up cheap in exchange for a 6th round pick.
Although the Cowboys may classify Austin as a RB on their roster, expect to see both he and Beasley lined up in the slot together this season. A new 4 WR look with no tight end on the field, will challenge defenses. If they choose to put quicker cornerbacks on Beasley and Austin, then they will have to cover Hurns and/or Williams with a safety, or dime back. If they keep the corners outside, Beasley and/or Austin will make mincemeat of linebacker coverage. And that leaves Elliott coming out of the backfield as yet another receiving threat. This is how the Cowboys will make up for the loss of Witten this year.
#4 Receiver – Speed Deep Threat
· Deonte Thompson, with 4.31 speed, is the other player with deep speed on the Cowboys roster. He’s worked with new WR Coach Sanjay Lal before, and Lal knows how to use his speed properly. He can be a replacement for Brice Butler in the Cowboys lineup in 2018. The Cowboys also gave Thompson a $1M signing bonus, so they have sunk cost in him they’d like to recover.
· K.D. Cannon - Most people think he’s just a camp body, but K.D. Cannon also has impressive speed. The 2nd year player out of Baylor clocked a 4.41 time in the 40 yard dash, and if there are injuries in training camp, he could find his way onto the roster as a deep threat.
#5 Receiver – Special Teams Contributor/Kick Returner/Punt Returner
The Cowboys have 4 players on the team with Special Teams experience: Cole Beasley, Tavon Austin, Deonte Thompson, and Lance Lenoir. After trading away Ryan Switzer to bolster the depth at Defensive Tackle, the Cowboys acquired Austin. The only problem with Austin is that the vast majority of his fumbles have come returning punts. Beasley is a more reliable, but less dynamic option. Thompson is more of a Kickoff returner than punt returner. Lance Lenoir could earn a position on the team with his play as a punt returner.
#6 Receiver – Developmental Prospect
· Michael Gallup - will most definitely make the team, and will be given the early opportunity to become the #1 receiver to replace Dez Bryant. Even so, it took a year for Bryant to crack the starting lineup, so Gallup may get limited opportunities, unless Williams or Hurns gets injured.
· Cedric Wilson - has already impressed coaches, and the Cowboys surprisingly kept Noah Brown on the team a year ago.
· Noah Brown – is a big bodied receiver who is an excellent blocker. He has some traits that remind you of Bryant, but he’s just not as explosive. Even so, he’s a valuable special teams contributor because of his size.
· Lance Lenoir - Even if he doesn’t make the team as a special teams returner, Lenoir has developed a chemistry with Dak Prescott that may earn him a spot on the team. If the Cowboys keep 6 receivers, expect those who don’t make the team to be on the Practice Squad, unless another team swoops in to claim them off waivers.
Camp Bodies
Mekale Mekay and Marchie Murdock – the Cowboys have a history of finding good players who were undrafted. Both of these players are mysteries to Cowboys players, but who knows if they might be more than we imagine.
Conclusion
I’m not willing to make any predictions for the bottom of the roster players until we see more in training camp. But Williams, Hurns, Beasley, Gallup and Austin are locks to make the team. If Austin makes it as a RB, then perhaps there are two spots open. Competing for those two spots are Brown, Thompson, Wilson and Lenoir. Only Thompson is ineligible for the Practice Squad. With Contract for Thompson, Austin and Beasley expiring at the end of 2018, the Cowboys may go heavy on the Practice Squad with developmental players for 2019.
But the bigger issue is finding a true #1 receiver that does gel with Prescott. "Playing the field" may seem attractive to some, but finding more reliable and consistent satisfaction, come from a good marriage of a true #1 receiver that has the on-field chemistry with Prescott who can threaten double teams, and force defenses to scheme to stop him. The hunt is on. Let's hope Gallup can become that guy, if not in 2018, then in 2019. Otherwise, the Cowboys will be spending high draft resources on this position again next year.
As for 2018, there isn't a receiver on this team that scares NFL defenses. The Cowboys are going to have to win with their scheme, and not their talent - because the talent well is lacking. Let's hope new WR Coach Sanjay Lal can prove as much of a WR whisperer than Marinelli was for the Defensive Line the year after losing DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, Marcus Spears, and Jason Hatcher.
We all remember how much we loved watching George Selvie, Nick Hayden, Terrell McClain, and Jeremy Mincey play in 2014. This WR Corps reminds me of them, just on the other side of the ball. (The good news is that rookie DeMarcus Lawrence was also part of that 2014 squad. Maybe he's a precursor for Michael Gallup.)
I understand that many fans were frustrated with the drop in production from Dez Bryant since Tony Romo was no longer throwing him passes. Romo and Bryant had worked together for many, many hours to perfect their on-field chemistry, and they seemed to fit one another. After Dez got injured in Game 1 of 2015, and Romo got injured in Game 2, Bryant hasn’t been able to get back to that same level of performance he had from 2012 – 2014, when he was simply the single most productive wide receiver in the NFL.
For better or worse, Bryant was never able to find that same on-field chemistry with Dak Prescott. And with the Cowboys committed to making Dak Prescott their new franchise QB, it became apparent that Bryant wasn’t worth the resources the Cowboys poured into him following his stellar 3-year run with Romo. With so many good young players coming up for new contracts over the next 2-3 years, the Cowboys needed to reallocate their resources. So, they made an understandable, though a little bit tragic, decision to cut Bryant loose and move in another direction.
But that leaves the Cowboys without a true #1 receiver on the team. I know that some believe that will improve the team. But complaining about being “forced” to feed your #1 receiver opportunities is a little bit like a married person complaining about being “forced” to have sex with their spouse. It’s not something you have to do. It’s something you get to do. And quarterbacks with true #1 receivers don’t complain about having a great passing game partner on the field with them.
So don’t feed me the line that Dak is “better” when he’s not “forced” to throw to Dez. The reason for the Dak/Dez divorce is not because Dak is better without a #1 receiver. It’s just that he was never able to connect with Dez in a meaningful way, as Romo had done previously. The search for a new #1 receiver is officially on, and until the Cowboys find one, they’ll be worse off than they would be with a stud receiver that opposing defenses have to game plan against.
#1 Receiver- Flanker
Let’s take a look at the current candidates to replace Dez as the Cowboys #1 receiving threat. First off, let’s eliminate all the veteran wide receivers on the Cowboys roster. Every single one of them, Williams, Beasley, Hurns, Thompson and Austin have proven they aren’t #1 receiving threats in the NFL.
That leaves the rookies and 2nd year players: Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown, and Lance Lenoir. Of these 4 players, Gallup has the best pedigree. And Gallup, Wilson and Lenoir were all #1 receiving threats on their teams in college. Brown, on the other hand, was a 2nd or 3rd receiver at Ohio State, so it’s very unlikely that he’ll suddenly blossom into a #1 receiver in the NFL.
If the Cowboys were correct in their talent evaluations, Michael Gallup was grouped together in a tight bunch with a bunch of other receivers that had 2nd round grades. But Cedrick Wilson has already impressed coaches in OTA’s and has the size to become a red-zone threat. Both Gallup and Wilson have similar speed to HOF Cowboys Wide Receiver Michael Irvin.
Lance Lenoir is a wild card. We have all read reports of how he’s transformed his body this offseason, and how much he and Dak have been working together to develop their on-field rapport. In OTA’s, it was reported that the work they’ve put in together this offseason was readily visible and apparent for all to see. It’s a long-shot, but there is a chance that he could become for Dak what the original #88, Drew Pearson, was for Roger Staubach – his go to guy. Lenoir, as an undrafted free agent, has the same pedigree that Pearson had.
Bottom Line: The Cowboys don’t have an apparent #1 receiver. We can only hope that Gallup or Wilson will take the opportunities they will be given, and force their way into the starting lineup. Otherwise, I expect the Cowboys to be looking for another #1 receiver in the 2019 draft.
#2 Receiver – Split End
Let’s just be honest. Tight End Jason Witten was the #2 option in the Cowboys passing attack, not a wide receiver. But this article is about wide receivers, so we’ll save that discussion about tight ends for later.
Both Terrance Williams and Alan Hurns have proven to be steady #2 Receivers in the NFL. They have had almost identical annual production rates over the course of their careers. Hurns has slightly better per game production, but he has a history of injuries, while Williams has never missed a game for the Cowboys. Williams is also a stellar down-field blocker, which is very important for the Cowboys running game.
Contractually, the Cowboys signed Gallup to a 1-year deal, with a team option for a 2nd year. Williams salary this season is guaranteed. Barring a surprise from one of the rookies, or another injury to Hurns, the Cowboys will likely open the season with Hurns and Williams as their starters.
For those disappointed in Williams’ 2015 performance, when he had an opportunity to perform as a #1 threat, but wasn’t up to the task, prepare to be just as disappointed with Hurns in 2018. Neither Hurns, nor Williams will keep cause Defensive Coordinators to lose sleep in 2018. But both are solid NFL quality receivers that will make occasional plays.
#3 Receiver – Slot
Cole Beasley is the incumbent Slot Receiver for the Cowboys. He’s proven to be a reliable threat, but as was shown last year, he can be taken out of the game at times when defenses scheme against him. He’s more quick than fast, and he isn’t a threat on a go route. On the other hand, Tavon Austin has speed to burn. He’s as quick as Beasley, and the Cowboys picked him up cheap in exchange for a 6th round pick.
Although the Cowboys may classify Austin as a RB on their roster, expect to see both he and Beasley lined up in the slot together this season. A new 4 WR look with no tight end on the field, will challenge defenses. If they choose to put quicker cornerbacks on Beasley and Austin, then they will have to cover Hurns and/or Williams with a safety, or dime back. If they keep the corners outside, Beasley and/or Austin will make mincemeat of linebacker coverage. And that leaves Elliott coming out of the backfield as yet another receiving threat. This is how the Cowboys will make up for the loss of Witten this year.
#4 Receiver – Speed Deep Threat
· Deonte Thompson, with 4.31 speed, is the other player with deep speed on the Cowboys roster. He’s worked with new WR Coach Sanjay Lal before, and Lal knows how to use his speed properly. He can be a replacement for Brice Butler in the Cowboys lineup in 2018. The Cowboys also gave Thompson a $1M signing bonus, so they have sunk cost in him they’d like to recover.
· K.D. Cannon - Most people think he’s just a camp body, but K.D. Cannon also has impressive speed. The 2nd year player out of Baylor clocked a 4.41 time in the 40 yard dash, and if there are injuries in training camp, he could find his way onto the roster as a deep threat.
#5 Receiver – Special Teams Contributor/Kick Returner/Punt Returner
The Cowboys have 4 players on the team with Special Teams experience: Cole Beasley, Tavon Austin, Deonte Thompson, and Lance Lenoir. After trading away Ryan Switzer to bolster the depth at Defensive Tackle, the Cowboys acquired Austin. The only problem with Austin is that the vast majority of his fumbles have come returning punts. Beasley is a more reliable, but less dynamic option. Thompson is more of a Kickoff returner than punt returner. Lance Lenoir could earn a position on the team with his play as a punt returner.
#6 Receiver – Developmental Prospect
· Michael Gallup - will most definitely make the team, and will be given the early opportunity to become the #1 receiver to replace Dez Bryant. Even so, it took a year for Bryant to crack the starting lineup, so Gallup may get limited opportunities, unless Williams or Hurns gets injured.
· Cedric Wilson - has already impressed coaches, and the Cowboys surprisingly kept Noah Brown on the team a year ago.
· Noah Brown – is a big bodied receiver who is an excellent blocker. He has some traits that remind you of Bryant, but he’s just not as explosive. Even so, he’s a valuable special teams contributor because of his size.
· Lance Lenoir - Even if he doesn’t make the team as a special teams returner, Lenoir has developed a chemistry with Dak Prescott that may earn him a spot on the team. If the Cowboys keep 6 receivers, expect those who don’t make the team to be on the Practice Squad, unless another team swoops in to claim them off waivers.
Camp Bodies
Mekale Mekay and Marchie Murdock – the Cowboys have a history of finding good players who were undrafted. Both of these players are mysteries to Cowboys players, but who knows if they might be more than we imagine.
Conclusion
I’m not willing to make any predictions for the bottom of the roster players until we see more in training camp. But Williams, Hurns, Beasley, Gallup and Austin are locks to make the team. If Austin makes it as a RB, then perhaps there are two spots open. Competing for those two spots are Brown, Thompson, Wilson and Lenoir. Only Thompson is ineligible for the Practice Squad. With Contract for Thompson, Austin and Beasley expiring at the end of 2018, the Cowboys may go heavy on the Practice Squad with developmental players for 2019.
But the bigger issue is finding a true #1 receiver that does gel with Prescott. "Playing the field" may seem attractive to some, but finding more reliable and consistent satisfaction, come from a good marriage of a true #1 receiver that has the on-field chemistry with Prescott who can threaten double teams, and force defenses to scheme to stop him. The hunt is on. Let's hope Gallup can become that guy, if not in 2018, then in 2019. Otherwise, the Cowboys will be spending high draft resources on this position again next year.
As for 2018, there isn't a receiver on this team that scares NFL defenses. The Cowboys are going to have to win with their scheme, and not their talent - because the talent well is lacking. Let's hope new WR Coach Sanjay Lal can prove as much of a WR whisperer than Marinelli was for the Defensive Line the year after losing DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, Marcus Spears, and Jason Hatcher.
We all remember how much we loved watching George Selvie, Nick Hayden, Terrell McClain, and Jeremy Mincey play in 2014. This WR Corps reminds me of them, just on the other side of the ball. (The good news is that rookie DeMarcus Lawrence was also part of that 2014 squad. Maybe he's a precursor for Michael Gallup.)
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