Blogging The Boys
WR2 needs to be a real point of emphasis this offseason.
The next stop on our Dallas Cowboys offseason preview series is wide receiver. Unlike most roster positions, receiver is one where Dallas can proudly claim to have one of the NFL’s true elites in CeeDee Lamb. But as good as he is at the top of the depth chart, the rest of it has arguably held the team back over the last three seasons. Building this group up, particularly at the other starting position, is a top concern in 2025.
Ryan Flournoy, Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Cropper
Seth Williams, Kelvin Harmon
The latest Cowboys star to get a big, new contract, Lamb isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And after gutting it out through much of last year with a shoulder injury, Dallas’ franchise receiver has more respect than ever as a leader and one of the team’s cornerstones.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much else at WR right now to lean on. Brandin Cooks’ contract is up and, after missing seven games last season and turning 32 this year, it’s hard to see him returning. He was never really a great fit in the scheme anyway, and though offensive changes are coming with Mike McCarthy gone, you’ll never see Cooks step up and carry the receiving load if Lamb were to go down.
It’d be great if we had more confidence in Jalen Tolbert after three years but that’s just not the case. His third season was the best yet with career highs across the board, and leading the team in receiving touchdowns with seven. But is that enough to trust Tolbert as Lamb’s primary wingman? Shouldn’t he at least have to compete for the job?
Competition will be hard to find from current options. Guys like Jalen Brooks, Jonathan Mingo, and Ryan Flournoy may help you fill out a depth chart but you wouldn’t feel good about any of them being in the top three. Even if these young prospects blossom in 2025, you’d rather have that be a pleasant surprise for your depth than a gamble you’re depending on with your key positions.
Dallas also has to deal with KaVontae Tuprin’s expiring contract. While best known for his First-Team All-Pro work in the return game, his offensive role grew in 2024 as he got the fifth-most targets of all pass-catchers. Turpin will be a restricted free agent this year and should draw plenty of interest for his return work alone, and even more if creative offensive coaches see ways to use his speed.
The Bengals’ Tee Higgins is one of the biggest names in this entire free agent pool, but does he want to remain a Robin to another team’s Batman? After four years in Ja’Marr Chase’s shadow, Higgins would still be behind Lamb in Dallas’ pecking order. He’s likely looking for a chance to be WR1 and earn...
