Wide Receiver group has a ton of unknowns

[Cowboyny]

Is there a receiver out there anywhere near the level of Lamb? I doubt there’s one on the level of Cooks and even Tolbert. It sure wasn’t Zay Jones. Lamb gets hurt you move Cooks who’s getting 10m into the #1 slot and you more evenly distribute the 1st and 2nd read that disproportionately went 70% to Lamb and Ferguson last season!

Cooks isn’t close to the player Lamb is and has a very small catch radius.

 

[Cowboyny]

We make a trade, then a few years later we trade that great WR for a 5th rounder

There was something more to the Cooper trade, think they didn’t like his durability and criticism of the team via the press.

 

[Cowboyny]

Either could probably have beaten out Tolbert for the 3rd WR spot in camp

Good news is, isn’t hard to find a quality receiver they are usually the deepest in each class. However, next yr doesn’t look good right now

 

[Cowboyny]

People were clamoring for a HB instead of the LB in the 3rd, but I honestly would have rather taken Tez Walker

Problem was they created too many holes predraft, I understand their concern of adding another linebacker as they don’t want to go through what happened last yr again. Still think they need more depth at that position

 

[thunderpimp91]

Cooks isn’t close to the player Lamb is and has a very small catch radius.

I think this is the main issue with the Dak to Cooks connection, especially on deep balls. Dak historically is a really good deep ball player, but he's typically had success with guys who can go up and get the deep ball ala Gallup pre injury or great route runners/stop n go guys like Cooper who can make DBs look silly. Cooks is a solid receiver but his best attribute is creating separation with his speed and needs to be hit in stride on those deeper routes. I'm just not sure his strengths align with Daks, but maybe in year 2 they can get something going?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

They were very ineffective connecting on the deep pass which is Cooks strength

I think red zone points are more important than deep passes but understood.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I think red zone points are more important than deep passes but understood.

Not sure I would agree with that but it's an interesting thought. Might actually be something to keep an eye on this year with Zekes return. Running the ball in the red zone was laughable last year. This year teams will be forced to respect the power run game down around the goal line. It could get Cooks more 1v1 looks down there. You might have talked me into taking a late round flyer on the guy in fantasy football this year.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Good news is, isn’t hard to find a quality receiver they are usually the deepest in each class. However, next yr doesn’t look good right now

My best hope now is that Brooks has a great camp and passes Tolbert. Brooks appears pretty toolsy. Hoping on contributions from a 2nd year 7th rounder is far fetched though

 

[darthseinfeld]

I think red zone points are more important than deep passes but understood.

I think it made him valuable when his go to skill may have been diminished. Preferably we would have Cooks as a #3 WR. Even when he and Prescott started to connect, his contribution was more niche. Even from week 9 on he wasnt putting up the consistent production you want from a #2

 

[exciter]

Cooks isn’t close to the player Lamb is and has a very small catch radius.

What does his catch radius have anything to do with the reality he’s a much better option than anyone floating around in FA. Again, this is a 2 read and check down offense. Lamb and Ferguson were the 1st and 2nd read on 70% of passing plays last season. If Lamb goes down you more evenly distribute those 2 reads between the available players. You don’t go out a get another receiver who you waste and ignore and have running around as a decoy like you did Gallup all of last season!

 

[Redsfan_83]

bro, there is uncertainty at every position on this team

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Not sure I would agree with that but it's an interesting thought. Might actually be something to keep an eye on this year with Zekes return. Running the ball in the red zone was laughable last year. This year teams will be forced to respect the power run game down around the goal line. It could get Cooks more 1v1 looks down there. You might have talked me into taking a late round flyer on the guy in fantasy football this year.

Yeah I remember looking it up Brandon Cooks had more red zone touchdowns then anyone within 10 yards…he was top 5 from within the 20.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I think it made him valuable when his go to skill may have been diminished. Preferably we would have Cooks as a #3 WR. Even when he and Prescott started to connect, his contribution was more niche. Even from week 9 on he wasnt putting up the consistent production you want from a #2

It did but I don’t think it was an issue of him I think it had more to do with Lamb and Ferg going off. Cowboys passing attack was one of the best in the league.

 

[plasticman]

A lot of numbers at the wide receiver position, but a ton of unknowns and could look drastically different in 2025:

-Lamb has become a true #1 receiver in this league. Just a matter of when and how much they are going to resign him for.
-Cooks had somewhat of an disappointing 1st season with the Cowboys and won't be back after this season. You can make an argument that MM just doesn't know how to use him right. Dak struggled to get on the same page with him all last season.
-Tolbert is heading into a make or break season. 3rd rd pick who has yet to make an impact after 2 seasons.
-Brooks was drafted as a special teamer last year, but did look good as a receiver in a small sample size, can push for more snaps.
-Ryan Flournoy is an older prospect that plays the x position. With Gallup gone, he will be in competition to land that role.
-Turpin played well in limited snaps and has earned trust with the coaches, but his main role remains as our returner on special teams

What happens if Lamb goes down?

This is another position where adding a veteran makes a ton of sense with so many young prospects at the position. Really believe we are going to see a top three pick used next year to address this area. Huge pivotal year for Jalen Tolbert.

If Lamb goes down we can look forward to a prominent position in the next draft.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

There was something more to the Cooper trade, think they didn’t like his durability and criticism of the team via the press.

Read a nugget he was the opposite of what Stephen Jones expects from his big-contract players. Very little leadership, little or no motivation for practice and pretty much refused to volunteer for off-field charity events. In a nutshell, he danced to his own tune. I know fans have critizied them for only gettign a 5th rounders for him but they were going to cut/release him anyway before the start of the new year. He a final gauranteed year on his contract if was still one the team on 5th day of the new year but they were done with him ( didn't approach him about a salary cut ).

 

[Hawkeye0202]

If Lamb goes down we can look forward to a prominent position in the next draft.

I agree but remember, MM never really had many high-end receivers as the Packers HC. In other words, his system was very affective in developing mid-low-tier receivers.

 

[jrumann59]

To say Cooks and Dak were not on the same page all year is a stretch there was a learning curve early on but by the end of the year they were pretty much in sync.

 

[Cowboyny]

I think red zone points are more important than deep passes but understood.

It’s also important to stretch the field or defenses will sit on all the underneath passes

 

[Shannon1]

A lot of numbers at the wide receiver position, but a ton of unknowns and could look drastically different in 2025:

-Lamb has become a true #1 receiver in this league. Just a matter of when and how much they are going to resign him for.
-Cooks had somewhat of an disappointing 1st season with the Cowboys and won't be back after this season. You can make an argument that MM just doesn't know how to use him right. Dak struggled to get on the same page with him all last season.
-Tolbert is heading into a make or break season. 3rd rd pick who has yet to make an impact after 2 seasons.
-Brooks was drafted as a special teamer last year, but did look good as a receiver in a small sample size, can push for more snaps.
-Ryan Flournoy is an older prospect that plays the x position. With Gallup gone, he will be in competition to land that role.
-Turpin played well in limited snaps and has earned trust with the coaches, but his main role remains as our returner on special teams

What happens if Lamb goes down?

This is another position where adding a veteran makes a ton of sense with so many young prospects at the position. Really believe we are going to see a top three pick used next year to address this area. Huge pivotal year for Jalen Tolbert.

Same as last year ,losing Gallup doesn’t hurt us at all !

 

[Cowboyny]

My best hope now is that Brooks has a great camp and passes Tolbert. Brooks appears pretty toolsy. Hoping on contributions from a 2nd year 7th rounder is far fetched though

Tolbert was a player they really considered in the 2nd rd, he was expected to at least become a quality #3 receiver, where he is more of a 4th or 5th receiver.