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The Cowboys have lost the last remaining wide receiver from the Tony Romo era of Dallas football. First it was Dez Bryant, released in April 2018. Then in February 2019, the team walked away from an option year on Terrance Williams’ deal. Now, 2012 undrafted free agent Cole Beasley, a cornerstone player in Dallas’ recent passing attack, has found a new home with the Buffalo Bills.
Beasley’s departure signals a changing of the guard. Even in the ever-evolving world of NFL football, eras are formed over time. Prior to this group, it was Terrell Owens, then Miles Austin, with complimentary pieces around them. This three-piece combo came with a biscuit and large soda, though. In retrospect, the wide receiver corps of the Tony Romo era were a ridiculously productive group.
I’ll always love #cowboyszone and I appreciate the time we have had together. Thanks to the jones family for giving me a shot. Excited for this new journey. Can’t wait to get started in Buffalo. Let’s go! #BillsMafia
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) March 12, 2019
Dez Bryant
Bryant, an All-American wide receiver from Oklahoma State, was a first round selection (No. 24) in the 2010 NFL Draft. His rookie year went as expected, as most receivers need some time to adjust to the NFL. He finished with 561 yards on 73 targets, but he still managed to generate numerous splash plays that season. Even with QB Jon Kitna throwing him the football.
Over time Bryant developed into Romo’s most reliable target, and he was able to become a first team All-Pro player in 2014. A season where the Cowboys offense was firing on all cylinders.
With the help of Bryant, the Cowboys had one of the best passing offenses in the league. They led the NFL in yards per attempt with 8.4 and Bryant had the greatest receiving output of his career with 1,320 yards on 136 targets. But the number that really stuck out that season was his 16 touchdowns.
Bryant was Romo’s favorite target, and his skillset was tailor made for Romo’s innate sense of ball placement. It was no more apparent than on the duo’s trademark fade routes in the redzone.
https://media.giphy.com/media/4Td3CSJUxtJZa3sq1Q/source.mp4
Bryant had a knack for coming down with some heavily contested catches. The fade route in the redzone is considered to be one of the hardest plays to execute in the professional ranks. But the pair of Romo and Bryant made it work like a charm. Bryant’s route tree was simple enough. He would run simple routes such as fades and slants, but at his peak he could rely on his athleticism to win in man coverage situations.
His style of play is something that is missed within the walls of The Star, but he just was not a fit for Dak Prescott in the end.
Terrance Williams
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
The Williams saga in Dallas is a strange one. Drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft, Williams was a player with some good upside. In his senior year of college with the Baylor Bears he produced 1832 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Among receivers with at least 50 receptions he was No.2 in yards per reception with an average of 18.9.
On the Cowboys he was tasked with being the Z-receiver, or the receiver opposite of Bryant. Williams had a promising rookie season, but he was never going to be the focal point of the team’s passing game with Bryant in the fold. So he had to make the most out of his targets on offense.
Going back to 2014, the season where Dallas was at their offensive best, Williams was one of the most efficient players in the NFL on a per play basis. According to Football Outsiders DVOA metric for wide receivers, Williams ranked No. 2 in the league at 30.6 percent. The DVOA metric represents value per play over an average wide receiver in similar game situations.
Williams never dazzled with gaudy stats, but he was an efficient player when given the opportunity. Towards the end of his time in Dallas, he was no longer the player that he used to be. A combination of injuries and his off-field antics were hard to justify with a roster spot and his option was not picked up by the team in 2019.
Cole Beasley
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
What Bryant, Williams and Beasley all have in common is that they were all acquired and retained in the hopes of aiding Romo. When Prescott inherited the team, he also took on the current receiving corps. None of these players were on the roster with Prescott in mind, but when he took the field in 2016 things began to click. Beasley developed a strong connection with the young signal caller and he had his best season as a wide receiver under Prescott.
It is often hard trying to gauge the value of slot receivers. For the most part, their stats are unremarkable. However, with the growth of 11 personnel (3 WR sets), the value of slot receivers has never been higher. They are often used to exploit mismatches in man coverage or to move the chains on third down among other things.
Beasley was the true embodiment of what a pure slot receiver could be on an offense. This is apparent when looking at the Expected Points Added (EPA) metric. EPA takes into account historic scoring rates based on down, distance and field position. It ultimately shows which players improved their team’s odds of scoring. According to Sports Info Solutions, in 2016 Beasley led the Cowboys with a total EPA of 53.9 and a success rate of 64 percent.
It is no surprise Beasley had been Dallas’ most efficient receiver ever since Prescott took the reigns. He made it a habit of converting on clutch third down situations and picking up crucial first downs.
Now that Beasley has moved on to other pastures, Dallas will have their work cut out for them in trying to find a serviceable replacement. Perhaps that player is already on the team. Maybe the team will look to use a high draft pick on a wide receiver, or maybe they will deploy Amari Cooper in the slot. No matter what the team’s plans are one thing is set in stone. Beasley was the last remaining link to the Cowboys’ old passing attack. Now that he is gone, the team can begin to cultivate a new group of receivers tailored for Prescott.
It was a fun ride while it lasted.
Gallery
In Memoriam Of: Cole Beasley's Cowboys career, 2012 -2018
Continue reading...
Beasley’s departure signals a changing of the guard. Even in the ever-evolving world of NFL football, eras are formed over time. Prior to this group, it was Terrell Owens, then Miles Austin, with complimentary pieces around them. This three-piece combo came with a biscuit and large soda, though. In retrospect, the wide receiver corps of the Tony Romo era were a ridiculously productive group.
I’ll always love #cowboyszone and I appreciate the time we have had together. Thanks to the jones family for giving me a shot. Excited for this new journey. Can’t wait to get started in Buffalo. Let’s go! #BillsMafia
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) March 12, 2019
Dez Bryant
Bryant, an All-American wide receiver from Oklahoma State, was a first round selection (No. 24) in the 2010 NFL Draft. His rookie year went as expected, as most receivers need some time to adjust to the NFL. He finished with 561 yards on 73 targets, but he still managed to generate numerous splash plays that season. Even with QB Jon Kitna throwing him the football.
Over time Bryant developed into Romo’s most reliable target, and he was able to become a first team All-Pro player in 2014. A season where the Cowboys offense was firing on all cylinders.
With the help of Bryant, the Cowboys had one of the best passing offenses in the league. They led the NFL in yards per attempt with 8.4 and Bryant had the greatest receiving output of his career with 1,320 yards on 136 targets. But the number that really stuck out that season was his 16 touchdowns.
Bryant was Romo’s favorite target, and his skillset was tailor made for Romo’s innate sense of ball placement. It was no more apparent than on the duo’s trademark fade routes in the redzone.
https://media.giphy.com/media/4Td3CSJUxtJZa3sq1Q/source.mp4
Bryant had a knack for coming down with some heavily contested catches. The fade route in the redzone is considered to be one of the hardest plays to execute in the professional ranks. But the pair of Romo and Bryant made it work like a charm. Bryant’s route tree was simple enough. He would run simple routes such as fades and slants, but at his peak he could rely on his athleticism to win in man coverage situations.
His style of play is something that is missed within the walls of The Star, but he just was not a fit for Dak Prescott in the end.
Terrance Williams
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
The Williams saga in Dallas is a strange one. Drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft, Williams was a player with some good upside. In his senior year of college with the Baylor Bears he produced 1832 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Among receivers with at least 50 receptions he was No.2 in yards per reception with an average of 18.9.
On the Cowboys he was tasked with being the Z-receiver, or the receiver opposite of Bryant. Williams had a promising rookie season, but he was never going to be the focal point of the team’s passing game with Bryant in the fold. So he had to make the most out of his targets on offense.
Going back to 2014, the season where Dallas was at their offensive best, Williams was one of the most efficient players in the NFL on a per play basis. According to Football Outsiders DVOA metric for wide receivers, Williams ranked No. 2 in the league at 30.6 percent. The DVOA metric represents value per play over an average wide receiver in similar game situations.
Williams never dazzled with gaudy stats, but he was an efficient player when given the opportunity. Towards the end of his time in Dallas, he was no longer the player that he used to be. A combination of injuries and his off-field antics were hard to justify with a roster spot and his option was not picked up by the team in 2019.
Cole Beasley
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
What Bryant, Williams and Beasley all have in common is that they were all acquired and retained in the hopes of aiding Romo. When Prescott inherited the team, he also took on the current receiving corps. None of these players were on the roster with Prescott in mind, but when he took the field in 2016 things began to click. Beasley developed a strong connection with the young signal caller and he had his best season as a wide receiver under Prescott.
It is often hard trying to gauge the value of slot receivers. For the most part, their stats are unremarkable. However, with the growth of 11 personnel (3 WR sets), the value of slot receivers has never been higher. They are often used to exploit mismatches in man coverage or to move the chains on third down among other things.
Beasley was the true embodiment of what a pure slot receiver could be on an offense. This is apparent when looking at the Expected Points Added (EPA) metric. EPA takes into account historic scoring rates based on down, distance and field position. It ultimately shows which players improved their team’s odds of scoring. According to Sports Info Solutions, in 2016 Beasley led the Cowboys with a total EPA of 53.9 and a success rate of 64 percent.
It is no surprise Beasley had been Dallas’ most efficient receiver ever since Prescott took the reigns. He made it a habit of converting on clutch third down situations and picking up crucial first downs.
Now that Beasley has moved on to other pastures, Dallas will have their work cut out for them in trying to find a serviceable replacement. Perhaps that player is already on the team. Maybe the team will look to use a high draft pick on a wide receiver, or maybe they will deploy Amari Cooper in the slot. No matter what the team’s plans are one thing is set in stone. Beasley was the last remaining link to the Cowboys’ old passing attack. Now that he is gone, the team can begin to cultivate a new group of receivers tailored for Prescott.
It was a fun ride while it lasted.
Gallery
In Memoriam Of: Cole Beasley's Cowboys career, 2012 -2018
Continue reading...