NFL Draft Rumor: Cowboys Will Pass On Receivers at 17
How does what the Dallas Cowboys did in free agency at wide receiver impact this NFL Draft? The hints we get say ... 'Greatly.' The scoop below ...
PLAYERS AT POSITION ENTERING FREE AGENCY: 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 (signed a reported three-year, $27 million deal with the Houston Texans).
COWBOYS RETAINED: Cooper (signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Cowboys)
COWBOYS GAINED: None.
THE BREAKDOWN: Cooper was the prize to keep, and the Cowboys got him into a deal just before free agency began (even though ESPN’s Rex Ryan doesn’t appear to approve). The Cowboys probably thought they had a fighting chance of keeping Cobb, given his relationship with head coach Mike McCarthy (McCarthy was Cobb’s boss in Green Bay), but it’s not surprising he went after one more big contract in Houston. The Cowboys could still find a way to bring back Austin, but it doesn’t appear to be a priority right now. But what the Cowboys do in the draft may influence whether they bring Austin back for another year.
DRAFT NEED: Medium. Every mock draft that I’ve done has included a wide receiver. Some mock drafts have the Cowboys taking a wide receiver in the first round. The Cowboys have had a meeting with Denzel Mims, per our Mike Fisher. And the had another with Jalen Reagor of TCU.
I think the hints are there to confirm what Fish is reporting on Dallas' thoughts at a receiver at 17 ...
Maybe that's easy for Dallas to whisper because the very top guys (CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy) will be long gone by 17. But no to Henry Ruggs? No to Tee Higgins? No to Justin Jefferson? Seriously?
Here's Cowboys COO Stephen Jones offering what I believe is some truth about the "draft needs'' plan: “You’re getting in a spot where we’re gonna be looking at both the back end and front end on defense, and then obviously after losing Cobb, certainly that’s a position we’d be more than willing to look at too, the wide receiver spot.”
Well, that does make it sound like receiver is "third'' on the wish list, doesn't it?
I believe the Cowboys will take a wide receiver in this draft. The real question is where the Cowboys will take one. First round? Looks like not. Second round? Third round? How low can they go and still net Texas' Devin Duvernay or SMU's James Proche?
I’m betting the Cowboys call a wide receiver’s name before the third round ends, because past Cooper and Gallup, there is a lot of unproven talent at the position.
