ESPN's Bill Barnwell: Cowboys have worst group of WRs in the league

Hawkeye0202

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This isn't the first time I've heard or seen this mention. To me, it's the reality of challenges facing this offense. It's easy for us as fans to get excited about the number of different weapons for Dak but the truth is, they are all mostly unproven.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24045670/ranking-nfl-best-worst-offensive-arsenals-weapons-2018
NFL's best and worst offensive arsenals: 32-1 weapons ranking
Jul 11, 2018
  • i

    Bill BarnwellESPN Staff Writer
If you had to list the reasons why the Eagles went from last place in the NFC East to Super Bowl LII champions in 12 months, weapons wouldn't be far from the top.

General manager Howie Roseman went out last year and transformed what Carson Wentz was working with by adding LeGarrette Blount, Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith in free agency. Corey Clement worked his way into the rotation as a replacement for the injured Darren Sproles. Nelson Agholor took Jordan Matthews' spot and evolved from failed first-round pick into an effective slot receiver. Throw in the Dolphins scapegoating Jay Ajayi for their problems and Philly's trio of effective tight ends, and you have a group of weapons that was able to help propel Wentz to an MVP-caliber campaign and keep Nick Foles afloat in the postseason
Kalen Ballage.

Dallas Cowboys[/paste:font]
When you remove that dominant offensive line and quarterback Dak Prescott from the equation, the Cowboys are left with one excellent running back in Ezekiel Elliott and what must surely be the worst receiving corps in football. The four tight ends vying to replace Jason Witten have 94 combined career receiving yards, all of which come from Geoff Swaim. The team's best wideout is Allen Hurns, who had one impressive season in four years with the Jaguars and hasn't been able to stay healthy over the past two seasons. The team is excited about third-round pick Michael Gallup, which is a reflection on the power of hope, but even Tavon Austin has to believe that the organizational plan to give the former Rams wideout 12 to 24 touches per game on offense is too much Tavon Austin


 

PJTHEDOORS

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The article is more for "Dak is the worst qb in the league." If we have wr's that have more speed, can run a route and actually separate than last years group overall, then it is Dak. And btw, that writer has the worse hair in the league. Too funny.
 

CT Dal Fan

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It's funny all this debate about the Cowboys' receiving corps. Last night on NFL Network they were saying how Dak needed a receiver that can win on his routes and gain separation; and that he doesn't have one this season.

Umm, did he have one last year? Dez is still unemployed for a reason. Let's put Antonio Brown or Julio Jones on waivers and see how long they last.

The Cowboys don't need Allen Hurns, Michael Gallup, etc. to be superstars. They just need them to get open and hold onto the ball. A team can have one guy catch 90 passes for 1,450 yards and 10 TD's. If the Cowboys have three guys that can produce 30 catches for 450 yards and 3 or 4 TD's each; in this run-first offense it's the same thing.
 

gmoney112

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I think the days of spending a fortune on "top" WRs is over, until the game changes again. Unless they're truly elite at getting separation and have size AND speed.

The game is changing, you want guys who can get that little bit of separation in their route running. Its all about efficiency, reducing mistakes, and making defenses cover a wide range of personnel and routes, attacking their pass defense and weaknesses in that area.

I think we'll be fine. We could use a superstar, who couldn't, but I'm more concerned with winning the passer rating differential battle and converting 3rd downs
 

buybuydandavis

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When you remove that dominant offensive line and quarterback Dak Prescott from the equation, the Cowboys are left with one excellent running back in Ezekiel Elliott and what must surely be the worst receiving corps in football. The four tight ends vying to replace Jason Witten have 94 combined career receiving yards, all of which come from Geoff Swaim. The team's best wideout is Allen Hurns, who had one impressive season in four years with the Jaguars and hasn't been able to stay healthy over the past two seasons. The team is excited about third-round pick Michael Gallup, which is a reflection on the power of hope, but even Tavon Austin has to believe that the organizational plan to give the former Rams wideout 12 to 24 touches per game on offense is too much Tavon Austin

Doesn't mention Beasley and Olawale, who I'm hoping will be starters. I would play Olawale over our TEs, and always have Beasley on the field as one of our best weapons. No reason to have any of these TEs on the field.

Can't argue with the rest, particularly if we doggedly keep playing two TE sets with our abysmal TE group.

Did someone actually suggest that Tavon gets 12-24 touches on offense a game? That does seem wacky. But maybe that jet sweep will be working, when the alternate threat is Zeke pounding it up the middle.

I do hope we're faking that jet sweep a lot. Count that fake jet sweep handoffs as a touch, and maybe Tavon can get above 12 touches a game.
 

CT Dal Fan

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The first line of the article:

"When you remove that dominant offensive line and quarterback Dak Prescott from the equation...."

Well, nobody's doing that, so I guess the rest of it is just about pointless.:laugh:
 

dwreck27

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Funny I thought the same thing about our corners last year... seems that turned out way better then and now going forward

I feel the same way with the WR core has some good talent in there with a couple of nice FA snags... I’m sure Hurns is looking to cash in with his short deal he signed
 

silver

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Pedestrian receivers is what we got. Considering we have a former Chicago Bear in our group, and they had the absolute worst corps of receivers last year, is all you need to know when you rank our receivers. The only ray of hope is Gallup. The rest of them are 3rd stringers anywhere else.
 

OmerV

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Doesn't mention Beasley and Olawale, who I'm hoping will be starters. I would play Olawale over our TEs, and always have Beasley on the field as one of our best weapons. No reason to have any of these TEs on the field.

Can't argue with the rest, particularly if we doggedly keep playing two TE sets with our abysmal TE group.

Did someone actually suggest that Tavon gets 12-24 touches on offense a game? That does seem wacky. But maybe that jet sweep will be working, when the alternate threat is Zeke pounding it up the middle.

I do hope we're faking that jet sweep a lot. Count that fake jet sweep handoffs as a touch, and maybe Tavon can get above 12 touches a game.

We are a heavy running team, and a power running team, which means TE's are used to block. So even if the TE's aren't used much as receivers, there is still reason to have them on the field. Even so, I think it's way premature to simply write off the idea that our TE's can help as receivers too.

I agree that 12-24 touches for Tavon seems wacky. I could see more like 6-12. I don't see him being used a lot as a runner, and that would be the only way for him to get anything close to that number of touches.
 

superonyx

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. A team can have one guy catch 90 passes for 1,450 yards and 10 TD's. If the Cowboys have three guys that can produce 30 catches for 450 yards and 3 or 4 TD's each; in this run-first offense it's the same thing.

Stop it!!!
Its not the same thing. Is it the same thing to have Alfred Morris averaging the same YPC as Zeke? Why not just have a committee of backs? As long as they get 1500 yards together then its the same thing right?
Wrong!!!!
Having a dangerous player at the skill positions is valuable because it keeps defenses needing to account for them which opens up stuff for the tier 2 guys. When you play the Steelers you always need to account for AB. Its not just about stats at the end of the season. Its about how dangerous weapons open up the rest of the offense. Zeke opens up play action ect.
 

PJTHEDOORS

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Pedestrian receivers is what we got. Considering we have a former Chicago Bear in our group, and they had the absolute worst corps of receivers last year, is all you need to know when you rank our receivers. The only ray of hope is Gallup. The rest of them are 3rd stringers anywhere else.

Then that goes on Dak for making them that bad. The recievers are gonna be open and Dak will have time behind the OL.
 
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