Coming into the 2022 season, the Cowboys wide receiver group was lacking in both depth and experience after the departure of Amari Cooper and the knee injury to Michael Gallup.
To this point, the team has taken only a few steps to address the losses, drafting Jalen Tolbert in the third round of the draft and signing four-year veteran James Washington from Pittsburgh.
On Monday, during the team's first padded practice, Washington came down with an apparent right foot fracture and was carted off the field in Oxnard. The new Cowboy could reportedly miss between 6 and 10 weeks of action.
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With Washington's injury, the Cowboys' WR room is both young and lacking in NFL reps. Here is what the depth chart looks like:
- Ceedee Lamb: 32 career games, 153 receptions, 2037 yards, 11 TDs
- Noah Brown: 50 career games, 39 receptions, 425 yards, 0 TDs
- Simi Fehoko: 5 games, 0 catches
- Jalen Tolbert: Rookie
- KaVontae Turpin: Rookie
- Brandon Smith: Undrafted Practice Squad Player, No NFL experience
While the current situation is bleak, the Cowboys' front office is not without the means to add to the roster. Dallas has the second most cap space in the league at just over $22 million, meaning they have money to sign a free agent. Here is a short list of some of the players Dallas could target to fill in at WR before the season begins:
- Odell Beckham Jr.: Beckham, 29, is coming off a tumultuous but successful year in which he won a Super Bowl with the Rams after a controversial trade from the Browns mid-way through the season. As a member of both the Browns and Rams, the eight-year veteran appeared in 14 games, making 44 receptions for 537 yards and 5 TDs. While talented, Beckham would not immediately fix the Cowboys' issue. He tore his ACL during the Super Bowl and reportedly will miss time until October while recovering from surgery.
- Emmanuel Sanders: 35-year-old veteran Emmanuel Sanders would be a great option to add both experience and production to the Cowboys' WR room. As a Bill in 2021, Sanders made 42 receptions for 626 yards and 4 TDs. Sanders has stayed remarkably healthy during his career, never missing more than 5 games in a season since entering the league in 2010.
- Will Fuller V: Fuller, 28, is the youngest option on this list but has of missed a lot of time across his six-year career. As a member of the Texans from 2016-2020, Fuller missed 27 games due to injury. The speedy receiver was traded to the Dolphins in 2021 but appeared in only two games due to a suspension for PEDs. Because of his history, Fuller will likely be an inexpensive grab but may miss some time.
- Cole Beasley: Beasley, 33, is a familiar name to Cowboys fans. The former Little Elm HS and SMU graduate spent seven seasons in Dallas before joining the Bills in 2019 where he played some of his best football, making AP Second-Team All-Pro in 2020. Beasley recently tweeted that he would return to Dallas to play with QB Dak Prescott. Beasley recorded 82 catches for 693 yards and one score in 2021. Given his track record of staying healthy, production and familiarity with the Cowboys' QB, he makes a great addition.
As things stand, wide receiver is an area of much-needed improvement. Expect the Cowboys to explore some of the aforementioned options before they kick off their season Sept. 11 at home against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
