Over the offseason, the wide receiver position has been a topic of conversation surrounding the Dallas Cowboys.
The team traded away their No. 1 receiver in Amari Cooper and are dealing with injuries to Michael Gallup and now James Washington who fractured his foot during Monday's practice.
However, Dallas isn't pressing the panic button. The team sees the recent injuries as an opportunity for the plethora of unproven young receivers getting first-team reps in Oxnard in Gallup and Washington's absence.
When asked about targeting WRs in free agency on Tuesday, head coach Mike McCarthy said that "it's not a focus."
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McCarthy spoke to the team's philosophy of "drafting to develop" and reiterated that "it's an opportunity for these young players to show up."
Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore echoed the same sentiment when he spoke to reporters on Wednesday. Moore spoke highly of third-year receiver Ceedee Lamb who is expected to fill Cooper's No. 1 receiver role this season.
"[Lamb] is coming into his own right now," Moore said. "Naturally, he's going to get a lot of targets. We've got to utilize him."
The team's young OC also spoke in detail about a few young guys who he's counting on to catch passes in 2022.
Jalen Tolbert: Tolbert, the team's third-round draft pick, has impressed with his work ethic and intelligence Moore said. ESPN lists Tolbert as 3rd on Dallas' depth chart. Moore is confident Tolbert will adapt to the team's philosophy of offensive versatility. "We're asking him to do a lot and line up in different places," he said.
KaVontae Turpin: Turpin, a recent signee, was a star at TCU and was the USFL's Most Valuable Player. While Turpin is expected to contribute most as a returner, Moore backed his ability to contribute on offense as well. "I was excited watching him in the USFL" and "we definitely see a role he can play in the NFL," Moore said. Moore said he envisions moving Turpin around and getting him the ball in the open space where he can use his speed and agility to pick up yards.
Tony Pollard: While typically viewed as the backup to Cowboys' running back Ezekiel Elliott, Moore is looking forward to using Pollard as a receiver as well. WR was Pollard's primary position in college at Memphis where he lined up in the backfield only part of the time. Moore said that he has been working on building Pollard's route tree and that he expects him to see more downfield targets.
