Archer: Should the Cowboys look for a veteran receiver?

Cotton

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Should the Cowboys look for a veteran receiver?

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

OXNARD, Calif. – After 10 practices -- eight the full-padded variety -- it’s time to bring out Five Wonders after spending some time on the reserve/physically unable to come up with stuff list.

For all of the talk around the Cowboys regarding the addition of a veteran running back, I wonder if they need to look for a veteran wide receiver. Dez Bryant's injury has shown just how thin the Cowboys are at receiver. If something were to happen to Bryant or Terrance Williams in the regular season, they don't have a ready-made outside receiver. Devin Street is supposed to be that guy but he's been slowed by an ankle injury and not had the greatest of starts to camp. Cole Beasley has not been defended yet in camp, but I don't know if he can be a full-time receiver outside. The same goes for Lucky Whitehead. The other receivers have yet to do much to distinguish themselves yet either. Basically here's what the Cowboys need: The 2011 version of Laurent Robinson.

The injuries to Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick will probably kill the chances of this happening, but I wonder if the Cowboys just need to make Byron Jones a free safety now. It's not what he hasn't done at cornerback; he's been fine. It's not what J.J. Wilcox or Barry Church haven't done at safety. It's about getting the best 11 on the field. There would be growing pains, but Jones' athletic ability would give the Cowboys a centerfield safety that they haven't had in years. He can cover up his missteps with his athleticism. There are questions to his game that are impossible to answer at this time. "Can he be a good enough tackler?" is at the top of the list.

With Doug Free slowed by a sore foot, I wonder if the Cowboys give La'el Collins some turns at right tackle. It's not an indictment of Darrion Weems, who has actually had some positive moments in attempting to nail down the swing-tackle role Jermey Parnell held. But if Collins can show he can play some tackle in the preseason, then that would affect how they construct their 46-man gameday roster. In recent years the Cowboys have dressed only seven offensive linemen for games. This year, it looks like it would be eight with Weems, Collins and Mackenzy Bernadeau joining the starters. If Collins could show the ability to play tackle, then maybe the Cowboys could go with Bernadeau and him as the gameday backups.

I wonder if Jameill Showers can play his way onto the roster. At first when I saw him do some special teams work I viewed it mostly as a lark. But if he can show in the preseason games, beginning with Thursday's game against San Diego, that he has something at quarterback then there could be a spot with him on the 53. Dustin Vaughan has not been sharp in camp but has moments in team drills that are OK. He's is by no means a lock. It was noteworthy that Showers took the third-team work in Sunday's practice before Vaughan. If Showers can show some ability to make plays as a quarterback and combine that with some special teams ability, he might bring enough value to make it worth keeping him as the third quarterback.

When we were asked as an NFL Nation group to predict who should be our team's next person in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I said Darren Woodson. I wonder if I should have said Gil Brandt. His contributions to the Cowboys' success with Tex Schramm and Tom Landry cannot be overstated. With contributors getting more chances to gain entrance to the Hall, Brandt's name should be at the top of the list. He remains one of the NFL's pillars today and continues to know just about everyone and everything with the league.
 

ravidubey

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SIf something were to happen to Bryant or Terrance Williams in the regular season, they don't have a ready-made outside receiver.
All they need to do is move over the slot WR and-- never mind.
 

Cotton

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All they need to do is move over the slot WR and-- never mind.
I know you have a hardon for Beasley, but I don't know many #3s in this league that can jump to a #1 spot and be successful.
 

ravidubey

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I know you have a hardon for Beasley, but I don't know many #3s in this league that can jump to a #1 spot and be successful.
I'd settle for a guy who could jump to #2.

No one can replace Dez, but pro WR's should know every play for XY and Z. Beasley and Williams have no excuse not to know Dez' position.
 

Cotton

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I'd settle for a guy who could jump to #2.

No one can replace Dez, but pro WR's should know every play for XY and Z. Beasley and Williams have no excuse not to know Dez' position.
Beasley is fine.
 

ravidubey

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Beasley is fine.
It works, but the WR development pipeline is screwed up a bit. Harder to develop a #3 WR to move into Williams or Dez' spot when the slot position is taken permanently.

He'll be fine vs most teams, but a good defense (i.e. playoff defense) will limit him (and by extension the other WRs as well) unless he can expand his game like he did on that play in Chicago.
 

Rev

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Let me know when he is shut down.
 

Cotton

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It works, but the WR development pipeline is screwed up a bit. Harder to develop a #3 WR to move into Williams or Dez' spot when the slot position is taken permanently.

He'll be fine vs most teams, but a good defense (i.e. playoff defense) will limit him (and by extension the other WRs as well) unless he can expand his game like he did on that play in Chicago.
I didn't see him limited that much last year. He gets open with relative ease and rarely ever drops a ball. He is a very key cog in our passing game, and I guarantee Romo would miss him greatly if he weren't there.
 

boozeman

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Receiver?

Why?

Running back? Well, duh.

I would be all for looking for a vet like Reggie Wayne if we suffered an injury or something, but that's it.
 

Jiggyfly

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I'd settle for a guy who could jump to #2.

No one can replace Dez, but pro WR's should know every play for XY and Z. Beasley and Williams have no excuse not to know Dez' position.
Williams does know Dez position it was widely reported he ran them when Dez was out in OTA's.

I guess WR is going to be your new bitching point after going hard after Lawrence all last year.
 

dallen

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It is a passing league. Most teams want to have at least 3 good WRs - slot WR is almost a starting position now. You'd like guys like Dez that excel at everything at every spot, but if you can get production out of a shifty slot guy you take it. To complain that your shrimp slot guy can't do the same things as your starting flanker or split end is missing the point. It is like complaining that Clutts can't replace Murray.
 

ravidubey

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Harris wasn't all that great as a receiver either. If he was in the game, it was more as a blocker than a receiver.
You know Beasley isn't going to block-- yet another fine non-contribution from everyone's favorite niche WR.

Harris was very good in 2013 and I really thought he would be our #3WR in 2014, but the ST beatings and extra blocking assignments took too much out of him. I worked with a friend and teammate of his from East Carolina, and according to that grapevine Harris would often complain about it.

Williams does know Dez position it was widely reported he ran them when Dez was out in OTA's.

I guess WR is going to be your new bitching point after going hard after Lawrence all last year.
Williams had better know Dez' position, but who knows Williams'?

Forget WR, my main bitch is at RB. It should be everyone's.
 
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