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

[InTheZone]

But be certain your assessment of Dak's season is Dak making mistakes and not the WR's making poor reads. The knee jerk on this site will be to blame Dak.

But the ones who have a better understanding, or actually don't over react will assess where the fault lies and then articulate that instead of rambling on about issues they think are facts.

Not suggesting you are, by the way. Just saying this falls on the Scarlet Clapper and his staff to get these people on the same page.

I'm not talking about the developing plays that show the finer things that we don't always see on camera. I'm simply talking about the eyeball test when the ball comes out and it's obvious where it was supposed to go, or when a wr runs the wrong route, or when the QB struggles vs the same coverage over several weeks(if that happens again), or if the QB is using the pocket or making bad decisions making the OL look bad. Sure we don't see everything, but we can at least get a general idea of what's going on by simply watching the game.

Edit: my phone hates editing on this forum

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I don't want to make this about Dak but if he regresses a 2nd year in a row will you say he's fine going into 2019 because he has a history like you said? Just trying to find some consistency when comparing different unknowns.

Obviously not, at that point his history will be that after 3 years in the league he's had 2 bad years vs. the one good year. He'd by the end of this year 3 years in the league, that's ample time for him to be able to get settled in, learn to go through progressions, read defenses, know the plays and get rapport with receivers.

If this year is like the last half of last year, even if the o-line still has shortcomings, that would indicate he's not capable of playing at a high level in the NFL. Not saying at that point you would cut him, as some players take a bit longer to get to their top level, but you'd better draft a quarterback with your first pick, let Rush or White play or just hope your defense can make up for Dak's low level of performance....

 

[GenoT]

Meh.They are completely unproven but they have potential to be decent and good in a few years.

“...in a few years.”

Now here’s someone who has truly embraced The Process.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

The Steelers, Giants, and Falcons have the best 3 wideouts in football. They were all sitting at home while the Eagles won the super bowl without a single guy over 1000 yards receiving last year.

Our WR corps is an unknown for sure, and it's almost assured that none of them is going to put up individually monster numbers, but there's no reason to think we can't win games with Beasley, Hurns, Gallup, etc. all grabbing 50 yards receiving to go along with the run game.

Go back to the 2016 stretch with Dez out to see what our offense is meant to look like. Several guys grabbing a few catches, getting into the end zone when needed, throwing it to the open guy. Still winning games.

 

[ChuckA1]

The same can be said about ESPN sports announcers.

 

[Direwolf63]

I struggle to understand the thinking of those that actually believe we don't have, at the very least, some large questions at WR and TE.

I always say the best way to look at these type of things is this.

If I told you that in 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles would roll out a WR corps of Hurns, Beasley, Williams, Gallup, Thompson and Austin and a TE group of Swaim, Gathers, Jarwin, the same people crying that outsiders aren't giving us enough respect would be laughing at how bad the Eagles' skill players are.

Maybe it will all work out and Hurns will find that magical season and Gallup will be that rare rookie that really produces and the coaching staff is able to figure out how to use Gathers in the passing game and Jarwin matches his hype. It's possible. But to basically ignore the significant risk in fielding a pass catching group of unknowns and question marks makes little sense to me.

Yep.

Put this group of WR's and TE's with the Giants and everybody around here would be laughing at them and predicting a 2-14 season.

Sure, if everything falls right and this new Dak friendly scheme works it may turn out better than advertised. But as it sits today, there are few teams out there in worse shape than these guys.

 

[Direwolf63]

The Steelers, Giants, and Falcons have the best 3 wideouts in football. They were all sitting at home while the Eagles won the super bowl without a single guy over 1000 yards receiving last year.

Our WR corps is an unknown for sure, and it's almost assured that none of them is going to put up individually monster numbers, but there's no reason to think we can't win games with Beasley, Hurns, Gallup, etc. all grabbing 50 yards receiving to go along with the run game.

Go back to the 2016 stretch with Dez out to see what our offense is meant to look like. Several guys grabbing a few catches, getting into the end zone when needed, throwing it to the open guy. Still winning games.

Dez commanded attention. Defenses needed to account for him. Even in 2016. Eventually, defenses figured out Dez didn't need to be double covered and the offense seized up and Dez got frustrated. At that point Dez became more of a liability than an asset.

These WR's scare nobody. Most NFL defenses will be more than happy moving their safeties up near the LOS and leave their CB's on an island with the Cowboys WR's and feel comfortable they can handle it. And they will be right.

Will the offense be able to hit medium and deep routes forcing the safeties back and open up running lanes for Zeke? It's not impossible but I have my doubts

 

[LACowboysFan1]

These WR's scare nobody. Most NFL defenses will be more than happy moving their safeties up near the LOS and leave their CB's on an island with the Cowboys WR's and feel comfortable they can handle it. And they will be right.

Really? Beasley was left with single coverage in 2016 and led the team with 75 catches, as a part time starter. In 2017, as you say, teams figured out Dez and didn't double him, so they doubled Beasley and he had only 36 catches.

But now teams will revert back to single coverage on Beasley and they can "handle" Beasley whereas they couldn't in 2016?

That isn't logical...

 

[Vanilla2]

Just wondering why Dak isn't a ?
And why won't the receivers be fine?

Because he was good his rookie year and half of last season.

He lost confidence and was shook after the falcons game.

He’ll be fine

 

[InTheZone]

Really? Beasley was left with single coverage in 2016 and led the team with 75 catches, as a part time starter. In 2017, as you say, teams figured out Dez and didn't double him, so they doubled Beasley and he had only 36 catches.

But now teams will revert back to single coverage on Beasley and they can "handle" Beasley whereas they couldn't in 2016?

That isn't logical...

If everyone's getting single coverage they can still shadow Beasley, a known threat, like they did last year. I don't think he meant to make it sound like to leave Beas alone 1v1

 

[Direwolf63]

Really? Beasley was left with single coverage in 2016 and led the team with 75 catches, as a part time starter. In 2017, as you say, teams figured out Dez and didn't double him, so they doubled Beasley and he had only 36 catches.

But now teams will revert back to single coverage on Beasley and they can "handle" Beasley whereas they couldn't in 2016?

That isn't logical...

Beasley will likely be covered as he was last year because there is no threat on the outside to take coverage away from him. I expect this Dak friendly offense to move Beasley around a little more in an attempt to free him up. We will see if that helps.

But defensive coordinators are not going to lose sleep worrying about how to stop Cole Beasley. Or anybody else other than Zeke.

Until proven otherwise, Zeke is the only threat this offense has. And that makes it easier for the opposition to defend.

 

[InTheZone]

Because he was good his rookie year and half of last season.

He lost confidence and was shook after the falcons game.

He’ll be fine

I don't think it's fair to say Dak was "good" every game until the falcons game. Struggled against Den badly, easily one of his worst games, against the rams (everyone's talking about how much opinions have changed between Dak and Goff from 2016 and 2017), struggled against Washington, then had a good game against KC, then the ATL game happened and we were back to that point in 2016 where he was struggling mightily against top defenses and the same defensive scheme for consecutive weeks.

 

[bigdnlaca]

Funny thing about it is I didn't hear anyone talk about how Philly WRs were good at the start of the season last year.

If a WR can get open, catch, and make plays after the catch, that WR is a threat.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Beasley will likely be covered as he was last year

Most NFL defenses will be more than happy moving their safeties up near the LOS and leave their CB's on an island with the Cowboys WR's

Which is it? Will it be the same as last year or will the cbs deal with Beasley one on one?

 

[HowardC]

Having to have to have the "true" no. 1 receiver to win titles is NOT a requirement, though it's nice to have.

Is Julio Jones a "true" no. 1 receiver? Sure. Have the Falcons won a SB? No. When Randy Moss had 25 receiving tds in a season did the Pats win the SB? No. Terrell Owens is in the HOF, did any of his teams, with which he had huge seasons, win the SB? No. Ravens won a SB with a tight end as their leading receiver. Eagles just won one, their two top receivers both had less than 800 yards receiving, and neither had as many as 10 receiving tds. The SB teams together had the no. 9 and no. 30th ranked wide receivers, and no. 9 was Gronk, a tight end (sort of). Deandre Hopkins led the league with 13 tds, Antonio Brown led the league with 1,533 yards. Neither made the SB.

Now Brown and others' teams are very good, no doubt it's nice to have the monster receiver. But it's not essential.

So what if the Cowboys' receivers aren't all All Pros. It's not the kiss of death for not being a good team....

Guess what the Ravens and e-girls did have when they won the SB... Top ranked Defenses. Do you expect Dallas to have a top 5-10 defense this coming season? I don't.

 

[kskboys]

He's not wrong. Not sure what they were doing this offseason when they constructed this unit.

You are. Because you cannot make this statement at this time. And this off, we were spending draft picks and signing FA's.

 

[Sydla]

He can play every position and the days of the 1400yd 15td #1 WR are long gone. This will be a committee.. I expect Hurns to hold that spot until Gallup gets up to speed. Just funny that after his time in Jacksonville you have the rest of his career all mapped out. He's a smart player with great size. We'll see how that goes here?

He's not some rookie. He has a pretty decent track record at this point in his career. Thinking he's going to be something he's not is just wishful thinking.

That doesn't mean the Cowboys can't use a player like him. But I think people are thinking he's going to be something he's probably not.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

So Dez and Witten would've done just as good with another QB behind his line and coaching staff? For example Dez and Witten stay a cowboy for as long as they did if, let's say, Dak was the the QB starting in '06? I don't think it's fair to say Romo didn't have a big part in them being successful.

Yep. You could argue Dez would've been better with a different qb. Witten too.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Guess what the Ravens and e-girls did have when they won the SB... Top ranked Defenses. Do you expect Dallas to have a top 5-10 defense this coming season? I don't.

Why not? They were 8th last year, per the NFL team stats page, based on yards allowed per game. They were 13th in total points allowed, 10th in yards allowed per play, and guess who led the league in forced fumbles? Dallas Cowboys. The added VanderEsch, Ealy and Armstrong. Awuzie, Taco and Woods aren't rookies anymore and all showed promise/improvement. Lawrence played all year. Gregory might be able to play. Added a SB champion defensive secondary coach.

Do I expect them to have a top-10 defense?

Who knows? Too early to tell, but I think it's very possible...

 

[kskboys]

Guess what the Ravens and e-girls did have when they won the SB... Top ranked Defenses. Do you expect Dallas to have a top 5-10 defense this coming season? I don't.

I agree w/ you in principle. Ravens D was like 13th.