The wideout position has become increasingly important to teams hoping to reach the Super Bowl. As the game has evolved to a passing league, a deep cadre of pass catchers is paramount, allowing QBs to find defense’s weakest link in coverage and exploit it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cincinnati Bengals are the two most recent teams to use that advantage to make it all the way to the big game.
Within the Dallas Cowboys’ own division, the arms race played out with various results. The New York Giants used a first-round pick on Kadarius Toney and put big money into FA Kenny Golladay. Neither moved worked out for the team. The Washington Commanders had Terry McLaurin but used a first-round selection on Jahan Dotson. The Philadelphia Eagles traded into the top-10 to take DeVonta Smith in 2021, then traded a first-round pick the very next season for veteran star AJ Brown.
Meanwhile the Cowboys spent all of last season seemingly trying to make up for trading away Amari Cooper. They tried to trade for Brandin Cooks, brought in Odell Beckham Jr. hoping to sign him before ending up bringing in T.Y. Hilton. Their lack of weapons might have cost them a chance at the NFC Championship game.
The NFC East gets the value of WR, but which team has built up the best group for2023?