Cowboys WR Update: Amari, Gallup & Lamb As NFL's Best?
Today we take a look at where the 2020 Dallas Cowboys stand at wide receiver as we enter offseason workouts. ... with talk about this trio being potentially best-in-the-NFL and even record-setting ...
PLAYERS AT POSITION ENTERING FREE AGENCY (BASED ON DALLASCOWBOYS.COM): Amari Cooper (starter), Michael Gallup (starter), Tavon Austin, Ventell Bryant, Randall Cobb, Devin Smith, Tevin Jones (reserve/future), Jon'Vea Johnson (reserve/injured), Cedrick Wilson (reserve/injured), Noah Brown (physically unable to perform), Cyril Grayson (practice squad).
2020 COWBOYS FREE AGENTS: Cooper, Cobb, Austin.
COWBOYS LOST: Cobb, Grayson.
COWBOYS RETAINED: Cooper (signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Cowboys)
COWBOYS GAINED: Kendrick Rogers (undrafted free agent).
COWBOYS DRAFTED: CeeDee Lamb (first round).
COWBOYS REMAINING FREE AGENTS: Austin.
WHERE WE STAND: The Cowboys fell into a bit of luck with Lamb dropping to them at No. 17 overall in the first round. While it didn’t necessarily satisfy a pressing need, the value was hard to ignore. Lamb was their No. 6 player on their overall board (or maybe even a tick higher?), making him the No. 1 player on their board at the time.
The Cowboys were fortunate that the selection didn’t derail their dreams of bolstering their defense, too. But in any event ... His arrival gives the Cowboys’ offense another tremendous weapon to use while also pushing at least one holdover receiver off the roster come the regular season. Because, with Lamb being assigned No. 88, he’s not going anywhere.
That also eliminates any hope of Dez Bryant joining the Cowboys, in my opinion.
Click here for Mike Fisher’s 55-man roster projections on offense
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE: The first three roster spots are set at wide receiver. Amari Cooper is your No. 1, Michael Gallup is your No. 2 and Lamb is your No. 3 (though it will be interesting if the statistics reflect that at season’s end).
One stat projection from our Richie Whitt: This trio has a chance to join the very short list of 1,000 x 3 groups in NFL history. (Click here.)
From the top three down, it’s a crap shoot. Austin, currently unsigned, doesn’t appear to be returning. So the competition boils down to Brown, Bryant, Johnson, Jones, Smith and Wilson, along with any undrafted free agents that want to join the fray. Whoever those two or three backups are, they’re unlikely to get much playing time when you consider the talent at the top of the depth chart. They had better be willing to help on special teams.
For those reasons, I think it’s highly likely the Cowboys carry just five wide receivers into the regular season, assuming no injuries. But we all think it's highly likely that the top three guys have a chance to sprint into "elite'' status very soon.
