The Dallas Cowboys had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season, finishing first in total yards and points scored. Soaring to the top of the offensive leaderboard was spurred by quarterback Dak Prescott’s return after a gruesome ankle injury ended his 2020 season.
Prescott helped turn around a passing game that churned out 282.4 yards a game, ranking second in the league. For a unit that likes to run the ball more than most teams, that’s an impressive feat by the Cowboys.
It also helped that Dallas had one of the best receiving groups in the game. Wide receivers Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup were meant to be an elite trio, but Gallup’s injuries paved the way for a bigger role from Cedrick Wilson, who cashed in with a career year. Add in Dalton Schultz’s stellar season at tight end and it’s easy to see why the offense was so successful through the air.
Much of that has changed heading into the new season. Cooper, who commanded the constant attention of defenses, is gone, as is Wilson. Lamb is now the the No. 1 WR in Dallas, but Gallup suffered a torn ACL injury in December and his status for the first part of the season is unknown. No Cooper or Gallup, at least for the early part of the schedule, means the offense is missing two 1,000-yard-capable receivers.
That leaves just Lamb and Schultz as familiar options in the passing game. The Cowboys need players to step up until Gallup is ready to return to full capacity, which might be later than his return to the field of play. Here are some of the options that could be a big part of the aerial attack early on in the season.