With TO gone, the big question in Big D is how do you replace his production? TO will likely enter Canton as one of the most statistically decorated wide receivers in NFL history. Owens is the only receiver in Dallas Cowboys history to produce three consecutive 1000-yard receiving seasons with at least 10 TDs in each of those years. Irvin, Hayes, and Pearson never produced a three-year stretch resembling Owens'.
Is Roy Williams the answer?
Dallas fans better pray he produces—and fast. It's unlikely that Williams will match TO's production TD for TD, yard for yard. It's too early to label the Williams trade a bust. Romo and Williams need time to develop chemistry. Hopefully, they are at Valley Ranch right now throwing and catching, drawing up plays and, otherwise, getting on the same page.
But, with their window shrinking, Dallas simply must get a reliable second option at WR. The reasons are painfully obvious. First, although Patrick Crayton can play the second spot, he really excels as a third receiver. Miles Austin is not quite polished to be an every-down receiver (although he is progressing), and Sam Hurd spent all of 2008 on IR. Isiaiah Stanback is still a project with a tendency to get hurt.
Plus, lets not forget that Witten performs better down the seam when safeties are forced to roll coverage outside. Without a legitimate No. 2 stretching the sidelines, Witten's production is likely to fall.
Resting on the status quo will be disastrous if the injury bug hits. If Williams goes down with an injury, the Boys will field a very restricted offense with limited options on the flanks. I guarantee you that folks will be clamoring for Owens once again if this happens.
So what are Dallas' best options to fill the No. 2 spot? It's unlikely that a just-drafted rookie could fill this role. For every Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson there is a Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. The Boys' first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft is 51 (the second round). I find it unlikely they will be able to draft someone that provides instant production.
So we are left with trades and free agents. The obvious choice is Anquan Boldin. Perhaps the Boys can offer Tashard Choice plus a third-rounder (maybe even Miles Austin to boot) to get Anquan. The problem is that the Boys may not have the room to fit Anquan's salary demands under their cap. Boldin would be a great addition as he knows how to play, and play well, in an offense where sharing the ball is a requirement, and his work ethic, production, and commitment would surely be welcome in Dallas.
Other trade candidates could be Braylon Edwards, Jericho Cotchery, or Donald Driver. Each of these would be welcome additions in Dallas. They would be hard (and expensive) to acquire.
Tashard Choice could be used as trade bait. He is a luxury right now and the Boys should use him when his value is on the upswing. Ultimately, Dallas will lose him to free agency (see: Derrick Ward). Plus, with nine draft picks it is likely the Boys could find a decent RB in the fourth or fifth round (remember Choice was a fourth rounder) as a replacement.
On the free-agent front the options appear limited. Reggie Williams, Mike Furrey, Brandon Lloyd, and Ronald Curry are all available. They would be affordable and could provide some measure of depth. But none of them are likely to really bolster or add real value to Dallas' receiving corps.
This leaves only one WR option—the best one, in my opinion—Torry Holt. The Boys should actively pursue a trade for Holt or aggressively court him when he is released by the Rams on Mar. 17 (he is due a roster bonus that the Rams are unlikely to pick up).
Holt would be a perfect fit for Dallas at this juncture. First, he is only one year removed from an 1189-yard, seven-TD campaign. At 32 he is three years younger than TO with no history of injury. Holt put up huge numbers in the Air Coryell/Mike Martz offense that Jason Garrett runs. If Williams went down, Holt could easily move up to the No. 1 slot.
Holt is a supreme route runner who could mentor Roy Williams on the finer aspects of this crucial part of wide receiver play. He could teach Romo the finer points of QB-WR interchange. He would be a great stop gap to allow Dallas' young receivers to develop and flourish.
Holt would not come free, but he would not break the bank (three years, $25 million?). He would clearly accept being the No. 2 in exchange for a new environment and one more shot at the show. Clearly the Boys' treasure chest of young skill players would be a welcome relief from his last few years in St. Louis.
Finally, and most importantly, he is a stand-up professional who has always showed a high degree of character and leadership (the anti-TO?). Absent Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt is the obvious and most practical choice to fill the second receiver slot in Dallas.
