The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver situation is not necessarily what we’ve become accustomed to in recent years. There’s certainly a lack of depth for quarterback Dak Prescott.
Dallas had to trade former No. 1 wide receiver Amari Cooper this past offseason in a cost-cutting move. It also lost Cedrick Wilson in free agency and will be without No. 2 option Michael Gallup (ACL) to open the 2022 season. If this weren’t enough, free-agent signing James Washington had to be carted off the field due to an injury during training camp.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had made it clear following last season’s brutal home loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs. Dallas needs to compete for a Super Bowl this season.
With questions behind CeeDee Lamb at wide receiver, the team might now need to make a move or two ahead of Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Below, we look at four realistic options.
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Cole Beasley heads back to Big D
Recent reports suggest that there’s a ton of interest in Beasley following his release from the Buffalo Bills earlier in the offseason. If so, Dallas might actually make the most sense. The former SMU standout excelled as a slot receiver in Dallas from 2012-18. In fact, he was stellar his final four seasons with the Cowboys.
- Cole Beasley stats (2015-18): 228 receptions, 2,355 yards, 17 TD, 71% catch rate
Over the course of the past two seasons with Buffalo, the 33-year-old Beasley caught a combined 164 passes. He’d be an upgrade over James Washington and others in the slot. Beasley’s built-in relationship with Prescott wouldn’t hurt, either.
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DeSean Jackson provides Dallas Cowboys with veteran presence
Jackson, 35, might not be the same player that saw him earn three Pro Bowl appearances earlier in his career. But he was still able to make an impact with the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders last season. The veteran caught 20 passes for 454 yards while averaging 22.7 yards per reception in 16 games.
Dallas could use a burner to go with Lamb and Gallup moving forward. The better part? Jackson would come in at the veteran minimum to compete for a spot during camp and the preseason. It’s a minor risk for Dallas to take.
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Dallas pulls off a trade with the New England Patriots
There’s a chance Dallas decides to buy low in a trade for a veteran wide receiver. We’re not talking about a blockbuster as the Cowboys simply don’t have the financial resources to pull off a deal of that ilk.
Instead, the Cowboys send a conditional late-round pick to New England for this veteran slot guy. Agholor never lived up to the expectations that came with being a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles. But he has performed at a decent clip. The USC product is averaging 50 receptions for 650 yards over the past five seasons. If New England is willing to eat a nice amount of Agholor’s $9 million base salary for 2022, this could make sense.
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Dallas Cowboys make splash with Odell Beckham Jr.
The only reason OBJ remains on the free-agent market is due to the torn ACL he suffered last season. The three-time Pro Bowl performer likely won’t be ready to go until November. That complicates things for teams who would otherwise have interested in the 29-year-old pass-catcher.
From Dallas’ perspective, the idea would be to roll with what they have in-house until Beckham Jr. is able to return healthy. Perhaps, the Cowboys offer him a two-year deal with more guarantees to get this done. Either way, a core three of OBJ, Lamb and Gallup would be darn nice for Mr. Prescott.