Dallas Cowboys: Randall Cobb is high risk and high reward

The Dallas Cowboys lost Cole Beasley to free agency, but his replacement is a former Pro Bowler who is just as productive and then some.

When the Dallas Cowboys lost slot wide receiver Cole Beasley in free agency, the Cowboys loss not only a really good receiver, but one of the most reliable slot WR’s in the entire league. Immediately, Cowboys Nation and pundits alike saw the Cowboys offense take a big hit that would be hard to recover from.

Beasley had become quarterback Dak Prescott‘s safety valve, and a receiver Dak could rely on to make sure handed, clutch catches (like the game- winning touchdown catch against the New York Giants).

But now that Beasley has moved on and signed with the lowly Buffalo Bills for $29 million dollars ($14.4 million guaranteed), the Cowboys and Stephen Jones waited patiently for the right player to take his place.

With that being said, the Cowboys just took a flyer on former Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl wide receiver Randall Cobb. The signing of the often-injured slot receiver is definitely a high risk-high reward scenario for the Cowboys.

For the Cowboys to sign a talented receiver like Cobb on a one year deal for $5 million dollars means the Cowboys got a steal-probably the biggest steal this offseason.

And as much as the Cowboys wanted to re-sign the home-grown Beasley, his asking price was too high for their liking. Beasley will make $17 million in the first two years of his contract with the Bills.

The Cowboys will get Cobb for far less and receive just as much production with the ability to get more. With the Packers, Cobb started in 73 games in his eight-year career, tallying up 470 receptions for 5,524 yards and scored 41 touchdowns.

Cobb’s best season was back in 2014 when he made the Pro Bowl with 1,287 receiving yards and scored 12 touchdowns. That’s been Cobb’s only Pro Bowl season, but the dynamic slot receiver wrecked havoc on the Cowboys’ secondary in two divisional playoff games, recording 15 receptions for 178 yards in both victories.

Despite Cobb’s injury-prone history, he gives Dak another viable weapon to go along with wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. Cobb is a smaller version of Cooper with his precise route running, speed, reliable hands and the ability to take any pass to pay dirt.

If you need any proof of his production, Cobb caught nine passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in week one in 2018 against the Chicago Bears. Cobb’s performance helped the Packers beat the Bears 24-23 (Cobb averaged 15.9 yards a reception in that game).

Dallas is hoping Cobb can shake off the injury bug and deliver jaw dropping performances like the one against the Bears. The 2018 was Cobb’s worse as a professional because he missed seven games with a hamstring injury and finished the season averaging 42.6 yards game and 383 total receiving yards.

Cobb has not played a 16-game season since 2015. But despite Cobb’s lack of availability, its his upside that makes him an excited weapon to Dallas’ offense. Look at all of the possibilities…