Cowboys: Will Cole Beasley replace Jason Witten as the safety valve?

As the Cowboys embark on year two of the Dak Prescott era, we ask if Cole Beasley will replace Jason Witten as the primary safety valve.

For the Dallas Cowboys, few things were as harmonious as the Tony Romo to Jason Witten connection. The training camp roommates came up in the NFL together. As two of the last remaining Parcells guys on the roster last season, the bond they had was obvious both on and off the field.

When Dak Prescott took over for Romo, he kept that QB-to-TE connection alive, hitting Wit 69 times for 673 yards and 3 touchdowns. When plays dissolved or the rookie quarterback passed over opportunities downfield, he did what Tony Romo so often did before him – he looked for No. 82.

But with the offense evolving and Jason Witten getting older, are those days soon done?

Entering his 15^th season in the NFL, Witten is bound to slow down eventually. Anyone paying attention probably saw that slow-down actually start about five years ago. But the 35-year-old doesn’t rely on speed and athleticism like he once did (yes, he used to be a pretty amazing athlete). Even a slow Wit is an effective Wit. It’s uncanny how he can always find soft spots in zone coverage or shimmy and shield his way open in man coverage.

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But this isn’t about the future Hall of Famer, Jason Witten.

This is about Cole Beasley.

Beasley, 28, is coming off of his best season to-date. Some may attribute that to a special connection with the new quarterback, while others will just point to his steady progression and declare his 2016 inevitable.

But when the fecal matter hit the rotary impeller, it was often Jason Witten to which Dak turned. That may soon change.

It’s impossible not to notice how open Cole Beasley was last season. I’m not a professional scout but I spend a lot of time watching All-22 film.

I may struggle sometimes grading blocking execution of offensive linemen, or identifying specific gap responsibilities of defensive linemen, but I sure as hell know “open” when I see it. Cole Beasley was open a lot more often than he was thrown to. You can bet if Dak Prescott didn’t see it then, he saw it in film sessions this offseason.

When the Dallas Cowboys are in critical situations and need a first down, Jason Witten will be there. But so will Bease. And Bease may be every bit as reliable…

According to Pro Football Focus, Beasely saw 77 catchable balls last season and caught 75 of them. Dak Prescott and him combined to produce one of the best QB to WR connections in the NFL.

For every bit as reliable and trustworthy Jason Witten is, he’s a non-factor after the catch. Cole Beasley is not. In other words, if it’s third down Jason Witten needs to run beyond the sticks. Beasley does’t need to.

According to Sporting Charts, Cole Beasley had a 5.1 yards after the catch (YAC) while Witten only had a 3.7. Beasley ranked 31^st in the NFL while Witten ranked 81^st.

The Dallas Cowboys have been blessed with a plethora of options in the passing game but Jason Witten has always been the safety valve. Times are changing and while Jason Witten certainly isn’t done, he may be soon replaced as the quarterback’s primary safety value.

Next: How the Cowboys look to use their newest weapon, Ryan Switzer

Dak Prescott and Cole Beasley combined to form the fourth best connection in the NFL last year (121.7 passer rating when throwing to Bease). Combine that obvious chemistry with Beasley’s exceptional drop-rate and you may have a changing of the guard.