Speed might be one of the most overrated qualities in the NFL draft process. Every cycle an otherwise pedestrian prospect catapults up the draft board solely because he blew the doors of scouts with his 40-yard time. Speed can have an intoxicating effect on decision-makers dreaming of a better tomorrow and can be a dangerous trap for NFL front offices.
On the other hand, speed is big deal for a reason. Speed can make up for multiple deficiencies on the field. It can stymie a defense’s aggressiveness, change the way a play unfolds andcreate opportunities for teammates elsewhere on the field. For the Cowboys, speed isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it’s major factor in what they want to do and a missing piece in their current roster.
Finishing fourth in points per game, 10th in yards per game and 10th in EPA per play, the Cowboys offense did well in 2022 considering back-up quarterback Cooper Rush started five games for the 12-5 club. Yet, the offense was once again their downfall in the end, failing to score more than 12 points in their playoff loss to San Francisco (a 49ers squad that would later give up 31 to Philadelphia in the conference championship).
It’s clear, the Cowboys offense needed to be better and more explosive. It’s a need to be corrected either through free agency or through the draft.
Based on 40 times, Dallas played with one of the slowest receiver units in the NFL last season. Only six teams logged slower route-weighted averages than the Cowboys (crediting players with heavy contributions more than those who played minimal parts) and it showed on the field.
In fact, the reality may even be worse than the numbers indicate.
Speed isn’t the be-all & end-all but it’s pretty darn important. Cowboys are bottom 10 in WR speed and in desperate need of a speed injection this off-season pic.twitter.com/LAW4l1emZp
— Reid D Hanson (@ReidDHanson) February 8, 2023
The compiled numbers are based on pre-draft 40-yard-dash times so it doesn’t account for players actually getting slower. While CeeDee Lamb is likely still his 4.51 self, Michael Gallup was far slower coming back from his knee injury than he was entering the NFL. It’s safe to say T.Y. Hilton was also much slower than the 4.34 time he posted 11 year ago.
KaVontae Turpin (4.31) was on the roster, but Dallas couldn’t get him on the field for meaningful offensive snaps. Simi Fehoko (4.37) was also on the active roster for a period of time, but like Turpin, he didn’t take a meaningful amount of snaps to make his speed felt.
Looking at the list of teams it’s clear, speed is not an indicator of success for all teams. Defense and rushing ability also play a role in winning and losing games, which explains why the 49ers can be simultaneously slower and more successful than Dallas.
While speed shouldn’t be the only trait the Cowboys hunt for this season, it’s clearly important and one in which Dallas is currently lacking.
With McCarthy leading the offense, Dallas is shifting to an offense that has more West-Coast tendencies and run-after-the-catch opportunities than before. Getting players who can break away and create cushion is even more imperative and has to be a priority heading into the off-season.
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