Dallas Cowboys: Brandin Cooks failure means time for Odell Beckham Jr.

It has now been a week since the 2022 NFL trade deadline has passed. Like clockwork, the Dallas Cowboys failed to biggest need, but this year, it was not from a lack of trying.

As many know, the Cowboys attempted to acquire a high-profile receiver, Brandin Cooks, just before the 4 p.m. EST deadline on November 1st.

It was reported that it came down to the wire but Dallas and Houston could not agree on draft pick compensation and Cook’s $18M guaranteed salary in 2023.

The issue at hand is America’s Team is still in need of another wide receiver. With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, only street free agents remain as viable options. Luckily for them, free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. is expected to be medically cleared later this week

Odell Beckham Jr. would bring added athleticism, depth, and speed to the Dallas Cowboys offense.

Since entering the league in 2014, OBJ has been making posters and terrorizing defenses mercilessly.  His (unofficial) 4.31 speed, lightening cuts, and highlight reel catches set him apart from others earning him multiple Pro Bowl bids, a 2nd All-Pro honor, and Offensive Rookie of the Year 2014.

The Dallas Cowboys are all too familiar with OBJ and what he brings to an offense. Just ask Brandon Carr and the Cowboys defense, circa November 2014…

The Dallas Cowboys current WR group hasn’t lived up to expectations

Through nine weeks this season, Dallas has yet to have a wide receiver go over 100 yards receiving in a game. While some of this can be attributed to Dak Prescott’s 5-game absence the point remains – the Dallas WR corps isn’t what it used to be.

Part of the Cowboys’ wide receiver troubles come from the mishandling of the Amari Cooper trade. Instead of keeping a top-tier talent to pair with Lamb, Jerry decided to ship Amari off for a measly 5th-round pick (and a swap of 6th-round picks) with the Cleveland Browns. Which feels like the equivalent of trading him for a bag of peanuts and some lint.

There’s no doubt that Dallas has been missing Amari’s route prowess and field stretching ability this season.

Why the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. makes sense for the Dallas Cowboys

Odell may not be what he once was early in his career, but look no further than last season as proof he can still add consistency and field stretching ability to a high-powered offense.

Some might argue that a 30-year-old receiver coming off a torn ACL (suffered during Super Bowl 56) isn’t worth the asking price of 10-12 million dollars per year. Although that may be a valid concern, I’d argue that the reward outweighs the risk.

If you look at the wide receivers (tight ends excluded) that have a minimum of 10 targets for the Cowboys in 2022,  here’s where OBJ would rank based on his 14-game 2021 performance on a per-game basis.

• Receptions – 3.1 (3rd)
• Yards – 38.4 (3rd)
• Yards per reception – 12.2 (3rd)
• Touchdowns – .36 (2nd)
• Catch % – 53.7 (3rd)
• Drop % – 2.4% (Lowest)
• Passer rating when targeted – 79.2 (3rd)
• ADOT – 13.9 (1st)

As you can see, OBJ would walk in as the Dallas Cowboys WR2 or WR3 almost instantly.

Final thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys acquiring Odell Beckham Jr.

Looking at Dallas’ current cap space and subpar production at wide receiver, I’d welcome Odell Beckham Jr. with open arms. Odell may not be what he once was when he burst on to the scene in 2014, but he showed us last year that he can be a vital piece of a deep playoff-run.

Even if he commands a 2-year deal worth $20 million I’d be willing to give it a shot with Prescott back under center and Dan Quinn’s defense suffocating opposing offenses.

If not Odell, who would you want to see Dallas sign at wide receiver?