I can't put a percentage on it per se, but I would say that I am cautiously optimistic about this receiving corps. There is definitely room for improvement but we seem to be progressing nicely as the year goes along. For the sake of this discussion I will only talk about the 5 main receivers and tight ends in my mind.
Roy Williams
I am, as I'm sure we all are, still waiting for Romo to Roy connection to heat up. I am not sure that he will ever live up to the expectations set by fans due to the trade,his contract and the memory of our last #1 receiver , but I do not believe that this team needs him to put up the same style of numbers that Owens did in order to be successful. I think we can all agree that he isn't going to out maneuver defensive backs through his route running so maybe we should quit having him run routes that try to force him to do this. Get him running routes that don't rely on separation for success. Let him run slants and other crossing routes where position is more important than separation and let him out physical the defender to get the ball. I know I may be in the minority, but If Roy can just be the guy who consistently moves the chains and is a real threat in the redzone and I will be a happy fan.
Although we are waiting for the receiving side of Roy to come around, there is no doubting that his downfield blocking has tremendously helped our rushing average for the season. I believe that he should continue starting opposite Miles Austin because if used correctly, these two pose the biggest threat to defenses.
Miles Austin
Miles Austin has finally begun to bust out of his shell, remain relatively healthy, and may be becoming the player we all hoped he could be. Given his success in his first two starts, teams will undoubtedly begin to give him more attention which could significantly help the rest of our receivers and tight ends who seem to be more of the underneath, possession types. I don't expect him to put up the big numbers that he has every week, but he gives us a consistent down field threat that helps to stretch defenses vertically. This could also be a big factor in opening the running game up later in the year.
Patrick Crayton
Patrick Crayton, thus far, has been what Patrick Crayton has always been. A very solid contributor who Romo can depend on to do what is expected on any given play. He isn't the type of guy who is going to put up great numbers but he gets the job done. I am of the belief that Crayton should remain our slot receiver as he has proven that he is able to contribute the most to this team from that role.
Jason Witten
There isn't much that needs to be said about Jason Witten. The man is an amazing blocker and pass catcher. He has often been asked to fulfill the role of blocker this year, much to the chagrin of Cowboys fans, but he has still been effective when allowed to release into routes. I would like to see him run more routes down the seam where he has made big plays in the past, but overall I have no complaints about Jason Witten.
Martellus Bennett
Finally there is Martellus Bennett. While he hasn't been the receiving threat that many of us expected him to be at this point, his blocking has been superb. We must remember that he is a tight end and that the first job of the tight end in an offense is usually to block. I have no complaints for him in that department. I would like to see him become more involved in the passing game whether it be through any way possible. Whether it be tight end screens or, as I mentioned with Witten, running him down the seam. The tandem of Bennett and Witten cause mismatches in both the rushing and passing game, and moving forward I believe we will begin to see much more of the latter as Romo and Garrett gain confidence in Bennett.
So there you have my thoughts, and although not exceptionally well written out, I believe that I got my main points across. Feel free to discuss where you may agree or disagree as I am always looking for more information to form better opinions.
