Too many Cowboys receivers – Is Dez the odd man out?

The Dallas Cowboys have added two free agent receivers this week and now appear overstaffed in the pass-catcher department. Is Dez Bryant the odd man out?

Dez Bryant’s future with the Dallas Cowboys has dominated local headlines all offseason. After posting another terrible season as one of the NFL’s highest paid receivers, it’s no wonder why his job is in jeopardy here in Dallas.

When you add the two most recent signings in Deonte Thompson and Allen Hurns, you can quickly see that somethings gotta give. And that something may be Dez Bryant.

Thompson and Hurns

First off, Thompson was signed on a modest one-year deal. He’s not expected to be vying for a starting role, but rather he’s expected to fill the role recently vacated by the career formerly known as Brice Butler.

Hurns is a different story. Like Dez, Hurns has also had back-to-back down seasons. Injuries kept him from living up to his lofty contract so the Jacksonville Jaguars cut him on Tuesday. While Hurns may not be a eight digit No. 1 WR, he’s still pretty darn good and was widely considered the best receiver on the market.

The 26-year old signed with Dallas to start – and start he will. We just don’t know exactly where he’ll start and at who’s expense…

Odd man out?

Obviously Dez Bryant is the first name that pops up when considering who the odd man out is. Dez is overpaid and underperforming. His attitude and effort last season left something to be desired, to say the least.

Additionally, Allen Hurns is nearly a clone to what Dez Bryant is. He’s big, he blocks well, he lacks speed but plays above the rim. He battles for the ball and doesn’t go down without a fight. Hurns isn’t as athletically gifted, but the similarities are striking.

But as we discussed on Friday, Dez is more releaseable next season. Terrance Williams is impossible to cut this season and virtually untradeable at his salary – until next season. And Cole Beasley may be tradeable but he’s not too expensive to keep either.

Related Story: Financial Implications of Cutting Dez, Bease, and Williams

Allen Hurns is going to claim a starting role. Bank that. And it’s clearly going to come at the cost of one these three players. I’m just not sure it makes sense for that sacrifice to be Dez.

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As much as I hate the way Dez played last season, I don’t think cutting him would be addition by subtraction.

Granted, Dak Prescott enjoyed the most succes efforts with Dez out of the game, but I think 2018 will be something different.

Dez Bryant is motivated and angry. Best yet, he seems to be channeling those things into getting better next season and proving everyone wrong.

Sure, he always should have been channeling that and working to improve routes every offseason, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s happening now, and could be beneficial now.

It’s all about projecting and if you think Dez is going to continue his decline and continue his sideline rants, then it’s understandable you want to see him gone. But if you’re like me and you see a 1,000 yard/10 TD season in his future, you see a reason to keep him for just one more year.

Next: Will the Cowboys move La'el Collins?

Is Dez Bryant the odd man out? He sure could be but my gut tells me the odd man out will be someone else. We’ll talk about that someone later (hint: the paperboy). What’s your gut telling you?