At face value the Cowboys may not appear to be a team in the market for WR talent. CeeDee Lamb led the NFL in receptions in 2023 and has become the workhorse WR through which this offense runs. Behind him is veteran speedster, Brandin Cooks, long-time Cowboy Michael Gallup, and ascending third-round pick, Jalen Tolbert. Factor in the presence of Jake Ferguson at TE, and there are a lot of mouths to feed in this Dallas passing offense.
But things will likely change in 2024. After posting just 34 receptions for 418 yards, the Cowboys may decide Gallup isn’t worth the price of admission. They could save $11,500,000 by designating him as a post-June 1 cut, freeing up money and providing new opportunities to new targets.
The Cowboys could employ a “next man up” approach to the situation. Pushing everyone up one peg in the hierarchy and avoiding outside change as much as possible. Or they could look to free agency to fill the predicted hole, adding a new skillset to the offense and aiming for a positive disruption in a tertiary role.
Chances are a WR brought in from free agency will serve a supportive role on offense. Things run best when Lamb is being fed at a high volume and the rest of the targets are divided out amongst the many playmakers across the ranks. Looking at the list of upcoming free agents it’s important to keep the desired role in mind.
The best options for Dallas won’t be the best options for everyone else because the Cowboys are specifically looking for a low-cost option to work behind Lamb and most likely Cooks. With that said, a big swing at WR isn’t preposterous in this “all in” season. Lamb isn’t making elite money quite yet and Cooks is a relative steal at $4,000,000.
Everything will be considered in this exercise.