Dallas Cowboys: 4 WR playmakers the Cowboys are considering

The Dallas Cowboys last Super Bowl appearance was in 1995. What a game it was but it’s been a long time since holding that Lombardi trophy.  Alot in the world has changed since then. The country had 6 different presidents, Wi-Fi was invented (1997), gas prices were approximately $1.23 per gallon (1997), and I was somewhere in middle school hoping to grow my first grain of facial hair.

This offseason, Jerry is claiming that “he’s not discouraged, and he’s focused on the 2023 season”. Maybe he shouldn’t be discouraged since he has a better view of the team than anyone. However, you can’t help but circle back to last offseason and the Amari Cooper trade. He was quoted as saying “I like what we did” in reference to trade. And that’s fine but his plans to replace Amari had holes in it from the start. CeeDee was legit but Michael Gallup needed more time after his injury and rightfully so.

Jerry won’t admit it, but he knows the Dallas Cowboys made a mistake with Amari. It’s time for him to correct his mistake.

It became painfully clear that the Dallas Cowboys needed more wide receiver help last season. The rumor mills are swirling with potential trade targets. We have the talked about free agent options. While Jerry and co. are going to do whatever it is they’ll do, that shouldn’t prevent fans from giving their opinions. The question I have for the fans is – which wide receiver would you want on this roster? Let’s list out some options.

Option 1: Stefon Diggs, Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills

It took a family affair to get Stefon Diggs’ name into the rumor mill. Stefon started by packing his stuff and leaving the locker room before the team returned after their playoff let down. Little brother, Trevon Diggs, doubled down and went to social media. He was pleading for the fans to push Jerry to acquire his elder sibling.

There are multiple layers to this potential wide receiver trade target that impacts the Dallas Cowboys. Number one, he is under contract with the Buffalo Bills technically until 2027. So, with that, you are a team that will have to figure out the contract and give up draft capital. With his contact, according to Spotrac.com, you have him for two years with an opt-out in 2025. He’ll make $8 million and $18 million in those years which are both reasonable numbers. Will he want to redo his contract knowing this? Probably.

Number two. What type of draft capital would it take? Sorry fans, it won’t take a fifth round like when we got robbed for Amari Cooper. From the Bills perspective, they have the leverage in this. They have said nothing about trading their star receiver. Will Dallas have to give up their first-round pick for Diggs? All signs point to yes at a minimum.

There was no drop off for Diggs. Last season, he snagged 108 receptions, 1400 yards and 11 touchdowns. It’s debatable if Diggs is on the level of Tyreek Hill and Devante Adams. But for good conversation – it took five picks for Tyreek including a first rounder. For Adams, it took a first and a second-round pick. If a team isn’t desperate to get rid of a player as in the case with Buffalo, why wouldn’t they wait for a top tier trade offer.

So, is it fair to think that it would cost the Dallas Cowboys at least a 1st round pick and maybe a pick next year? I would think the Bills wouldn’t pick up the phone for anything less but that’s just my opinion.

Option 2: DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals

The Dallas Cowboys have said and shown they will play CeeDee Lamb more in the slot. With that being the case, getting a receiver who can win the battle on the outside is important. You can find worse options than Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Yes, he is coming off a down season where he only played 9 games and hauled in 64 receptions for 717 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, don’t be fooled – this guy is still a baller. A suspension and an injured quarterback would affect any receiver’s production, but their loss could be the Cowboys gain. With a $30 million cap hit facing them, the Cardinals almost have to make some sort of move to help their cap situation. The Dallas Cowboys should be hoping for a release, but the Cardinals are sure to push for a trade.

Dallas will have competition for Hopkins’ services. There are rumors of the Chiefs and Giants having interest in the wide receiver. Would you give a second round pick up for this contract? Maybe. According to Spotrac.com, he has two years left on his deal worth $19 million and $14 million. The team still has another year before they have to do anything with Lamb’s contract. So, from a money standpoint, it’s more than Stefon Diggs but if the team only has to give up a second round pick it may be worth it.

What would he do for Dak Prescott? Think of it from this standpoint – he is a savvy route running with excellent hand-eye coordination who can still get past defenders. Not to mention, he would be pushing out Noah Brown, allowing Michael Gallup to be fully ready and giving Jalen Tolbert another year to learn. Not a bad option.

Option 3: Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver, Houston Texans

Brandin Cooks is one of those NFL receivers that is wanted one year and traded the next. He is a deep threat talent that has really good route running abilities. Why can’t he keep a home? No one knows. What we do know is the Dallas Cowboys almost had a deal struck with the Houston Texans last season, but it didn’t work out. Should Dallas go down that road again?

He is listed as 5’10” 183lbs. In Mike McCarthy’s offense, Cooks can be his version of Randall Cobb. They are practically the same size, same build but Cooks offers the inside and outside play ability. According to PFF, he played most of his 2022 snaps on the outside (497) and (156) in the slot. In the Dallas Cowboys version of the west coast offense, he could be a very reliable target for Dak Prescott. He can run the slants, crossing routes as well as the deep routes that T.Y. Hilton ran last year.

My hangup is the contract numbers. Simply put, the last two trade options we’ve discussed have similar contract numbers but are more proven in my opinion. Over the next two years, he is owed $18 million and $13 million. Maybe the team can work out a restructured contract with him as a part of the trade. If that can’t happen, I would be extremely hesitant to pull the trigger.

Now, what would it cost Dallas now to gain Cooks’ services? Last year, he produced 57 receptions for 699 yards and 3 touchdowns. I don’t believe many teams will be knocking each other over to acquire Cooks. If Houston accepts a 3rd round pick and restructures the contract, sign me up. Anything higher than a 3rd round would get a dial tone if I was running the Dallas Cowboys organization.

Option 4: Odell Beckham, Jr., Wide Receiver, Free Agent

From a name recognition standpoint, this guy is one of the more proven free agents out there. In the same breath, he is one of the more unknowns of this entire offseason. We’ve seen his Instagram page with the workout reels, but we still haven’t seen him on a football field in over a year. Dallas Cowboys Owner/General Manager Jerry Jones is infatuated with the potential of adding Odell Beckham, Jr. to this roster. So, while he is not a trade target, he definitely should be a part of this conversation.

When he is healthy, he is still one of the more polished route runners to play this game. He is a natural football player who plays the game effortlessly. He can run the route tree with ease, and you can plug him into any of the receiver positions. His hands would make him one of the more ideal additions to a west coast offense, if he’s healthy. Hate him or love him, he freed up Cooper Kupp to be that big time slot receiver that CeeDee Lamb is becoming right before our eyes. That part is very appealing and I’m sure it has Jerry’s attention.

The not so appealing part is he is returning from the same injury that Michael Gallup returned from last season. I’m not a betting man – but do you place your bet on two receivers being effective in this offense after the same knee injuries. That’s a tough decision. Not to mention, what is Odell’s asking price? Is he still considering himself a top-15 receiver and is looking for $17 million a year for multiple years? Or is he asking for a 3 year 30 million type of deal? If it’s the latter and he’s healthy, he has to be the top choice.

3 Dallas Cowboys mock draft scenarios in the first three rounds

Three different 3-round mock draft scenarios for the Dallas Cowboys showing how one impacts the next and the best player isn’t always the best pick.

Something tells me Jerry is ready to pull the trigger in either case.