The Cowboys may not know when they can expect James Washington to return from his foot injury; at least not yet. Recovery times from Jones fractures, the injury Dallas fears he has suffered but has not yet been verified, can range anywhere from weeks to months, depending on whether rest or surgery is prescribed. Jones fractures are normally revealed through x-rays, which the Cowboys have the ability to conduct on site in Oxnard, but they are also sending him for an MRI.
Regardless, the free agent addition is going to miss the rest of training camp, which is a blow to a team trying to replace two key cogs in their wide receiver depth chart. Chemistry between wideout and quarterback is paramount in the NFL and now Dak Prescott will not get the time to create this with Washington during practice and throwing sessions as planned. Should Dallas look to bring in a player from the outside?
This was already a strong consideration, at least among the fanbase, when analyzing the depth chart. The Cowboys signed 2022 USFL MVP Kavontae Turpin, a speed demon who is elite with the ball in open space, but he was likely at the bottom of the depth chart. Washington was competing to start until Michael Gallup returned at some point in the first half of the season.
Dallas may want to go grab someone with NFL experience to join the fray. Here’s a look at some potential candidates, which does not include Odell Beckham, Jr., who isn’t expected to be ready until October or November.