Inside The Star
With the 2025 NFL Draft behind us, one clear weakness needs fixing in Dallas: the Cowboys wide receiver room.
The front office pulled off the same draft surprise as they did in 2024. In both classes, Dallas walked into the draft with wide receiver and running back last year at the top of their lists, just to come out completely empty-handed.
With Tetairoa McMillan off the board, the Cowboys passed on their secondary receiver options for Tyler Booker, and they seemingly never liked their options at receiver after that.
Dallas can shout from the rooftops that they like their in-house options, but this group is not good enough; it needs to be addressed.
Rumors have circulated about potentially signing free agents like Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen, but the Cowboys could find younger, more long-term options on the trade market. They’ve done it before with Jonathan Mingo and Brandin Cooks, and they could do it again.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at three trade targets that could bolster the Cowboys wide receiver room on day one.
The Packers, with the 23rd pick, did what many Cowboys fans hoped their team would do: they drafted Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden.
It was a surprise to see him fall to Green Bay, but they turned in his card right away when he did. What it means for the rest of their depth chart, however, could provide the Cowboys with an opportunity after all.
Christian Watson, Green Bay’s 34th overall pick in 2022, will be a free agent after this season.
Coming off a dominant collegiate career at North Dakota State, Watson was highly doubted as a deep-threat prospect. The Cowboys themselves had a lot of interest in him at the time.
Ultimately, it wasn’t in the cards then, as Dallas went with Tyler Smith 10 picks ahead of Watson, but with his contract expiring, Golden arriving, and a plateau hit statistically, the Cowboys could pursue him for a second time.
Watson is now fourth on the depth chart, and he’s got legitimate options breathing down his neck. Rookie Savion Williams, veteran Dontayvion Wicks, and free-agent addition Mecole Hardman could all knock him down further.
He’s a consistent 600+ yard receiver, and with his elite speed and size, could provide the big-play threat that Dallas desperately needs, for a fairly low cost.
The Cowboys wide receiver room could improve from a simple reunion with a familiar face. Cedrick Wilson, the team’s sixth-round pick in 2018, is looking for a career rejuvenation.
After emerging in Dallas and leaving in free agency, Wilson has failed to replicate his success. In the three seasons outside the Cowboys uniform, he combined for 643 receiving yards. He had 603 in 2021 with Dallas.
That difference is staggering, and while it’s mainly due to a downturn in ability from age, a reunion with Dak Prescott in a major...
