With Miles Austin gone, the Dallas Cowboys will reportedly consider using a platoon system at slot receiver.
To be sure, the team has options. Fourth round pick Devin Street comes in as the University of Pittsburgh’s all-time leader in receptions, and a good deal of that work came while working in the slot. Cole Beasley is very familiar with the position, as is the currently injured Dwayne Harris.
“It’s still early to really figure out how we’re going to use everybody,” said wide receivers coach Derek Dooley, per ESPN Dallas. “I think the biggest thing is giving them a lot of opportunities in a lot of areas and we’ll figure it out in training camp.”
When Austin was healthy last year, he worked out of the slot while Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams lined up on the outside. But Austin signed with the Cleveland Browns in May, leaving Dooley and the rest of the staff to reevaluate.
“Every player has strengths, things they do really well and every player has things they don’t do well,” Dooley said. “What’s fun about coaching is using those strengths to your advantage and trying to minimize putting them in positions where they’re not as good. It’s a little bit, ‘Hey, players, go out there and build on your strengths and improve as much as you can on your weakness,' but the coaches, it’s up to use to put them in the right spots so we can feature what they do well.”
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