The Dallas Cowboys already have a big-play specialist in the passing game. CeeDee Lamb is one of the most explosive players in the league, and with George Pickens by his side, Brian Schottenheimer has an elite one-two punch to scheme for.
However, given all the uncertainty surrounding Pickens and his contract situation with the organization, the Cowboys must keep their eyes open for any help they can get. It might even come from some unlikely candidates.
According to Cowboys insider Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the recently signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling turned some heads in minicamp. It's not the first time he's drawn positive reviews, and he might be putting himself in strong consideration for a role in the offense.
"It might just be because wide receiver George Pickens isn’t in attendance for OTAs, but recent free agent signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling picked up a lot of work with the first team Thursday," Harris wrote. "He was targeted by Dak Prescott a handful of times, and even bailed out his new quarterback on a throw that went behind him that he had to swat down to prevent P.J. Locke from intercepting it."
Marquez Valdes-Scantling might make the Cowboys' 53-man roster
The Cowboys should have a clear pecking order with Lamb and Pickens first and Ryan Flournoy after them. He had impressive performances in Lamb's absence last season, and he should be ahead of special teams ace KaVontae Turpin.
Also, Jonathan Mingo has yet to prove he was worth what the Cowboys gave up to get him, and he may not even make the roster. That's where a guy like Valdes-Scantling could come in handy for Dak Prescott and company.
Of course, he is what he is at this point in his career. Everybody knows what he can bring to the table, and expecting him to be much more than a deep-play specialist and the ultimate boom-or-bust guy is just setting him up for failure. That's who he's always been, and he won't get much better or add anything else to his repertoire in Arlington.
That said, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Prescott can put some air in the ball, and while the Cowboys' defense should be much better in 2026, they might still star in a shootout here and there. Having someone who can pile up yards in a hurry and leave defenders in the dust won't be a bad idea.
The eighth-year man out of South Florida may never be what he once was with the Green Bay Packers several years ago, but he's got potential to be a serious threat when given the opportunity.
The Cowboys will have a bit over a month to regroup and pick up where they left off. Valdes-Scantling shouldn't have as many opportunities if Pickens shows up for training camp, but so far, it looks like he's at least thrown his name in the hat and drawn some serious consideration to make the roster.
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