Cowboy 2021 position groups: Evaluating the wide receivers

The Dallas Cowboys offense this season, just like last season, has the potential to be one of the top offenses in the NFL. Unfortunately, injuries at quarterback, offensive line, tight end, and nagging injuries at wide receiver derailed the chances of that happening last season. This season the Cowboys offense is coming back healthy according to the organization’s media blitz. Dak Prescott is returning from a devastating ankle injury and the team is also getting back tight end Blake Jarwin, and the offensive line should be back to normal.

With all of these positions coming back one would assume that this offense would be unstoppable, but we still have to see it on the field from these players before we can just anoint them among the tops in the league. We’ve already talked about the quarterbacks and running backs, so let’s move on to the receivers.

At the top level the Cowboys are pretty set at the receiver position. Amari Cooper is the lead dog and he is coming back from ankle surgery earlier this year. Michael Gallup is entering the offseason healthy after dealing with a hip injury, and he’ll be in a contract year which gives him more incentive to make plays on the field, which in turn benefits the Cowboys. The top trio is completed by Cowboys rookie sensation CeeDee Lamb who burst onto the scene in 2020 and is looking to build on his impressive first year.

This season the Cowboys are bringing in some new talent into the receivers room by adding fifth-round pick Simi Fehoko out of Stanford, as well as four talented receivers in free agency after the draft - T.J. Vasher (Texas Tech), Osirus Mitchell (Mississippi St.), Brennan Eagles (Texas), and Brandon Smith (Iowa). While Fehoko has the best chance to make the roster, Vasher, Mitchell, Eagles, and Smith will all be battling current Cowboys receivers Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown for the final spots in the receiver’s room.

The Cowboys ideal situation would be that some of these young talents really show out in training camp and the preseason games to the point that they could possibly use some of their veterans as trade bait to improve their defense. With Michael Gallup in a contract year, and the odds of re-signing him slim because of the money they have tied up in other offensive spots, the Cowboys could look to collect a talented defensive player for Gallup. More likely, they could trade a player like Cedrick Wilson and take a flyer on a defensive back or safety from another team that is under-performing, or maybe get a late-round pick. The point is that the Cowboys receiver’s room is deep with talent, and they have some more options coming in for the 2021 season. If Fehoko and/or some of the other talents impress early, the Cowboys could look to trade one of their contract-year wide receivers.

As it stands, the Cowboys have all the bases covered in the receiver’s room. Cooper is the go-to guy who can always find himself open because of his precision route-running. Gallup is the deep threat who gives the Cowboys homerun capability when he and Prescott find the chemistry. Lamb is a slot guy who can work the middle of the field but can also just as easily move outside when needed. Lamb also provides impressive YAC capabilities.

Behind those three are solid contributors like Wilson and Noah Brown. While Brown has been known as a blocker, he showed a little more in 2020. Fehoko is someone who everybody will be watching given his size/athleticism combination. The Cowboys are hoping they stole a receiver when they got him in the fifth round.

Whatever the final makeup of the Cowboys receiving corps, they’ll have plenty of talent to make this offense thrive.