Getty Images Darius Slayton of the New York Giants celebrates with Daniel Jones
A capable set of hands could go a long way for the Dallas Cowboys and the team is being urged to look at a trade within the division that would land them New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton.
Slayton had some productive seasons in New York to kick off his career, collecting 48 catches, 1,491 yards and 11 touchdowns over his first two seasons with the Giants. But his production took a turn for the worse last season as he missed four games, catching just 26 balls for 339 yards.
Slayton finds himself buried on the Giants depth chart and he took a pay cut prior to the season to remain with the team. Through two games he’s played just four snaps and hasn’t registered a catch.
That makes Slayton a prime trade target for a team like the Cowboys, who could use a receiver with some proven time in the league on his resume. Bleacher Report pointed to Slayton and disgruntled Jets receiver Denzel Mims as players the team should pursue ahead of their primetime matchup against the Giants on Monday Night Football. Per Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine:
The good news for the Cowboys is there are multiple receivers who would make sense on the trade market. If they don’t like Mims or have trouble finding the right compensation for him, someone like Darius Slayton might be more to their liking.
The opportunity to play with Dak Prescott when he gets healthy and a change of scenery might help him get back to the player we saw early in his career.
Cowboys Wanted ‘Smarter’ Play-Calling After Week 1
The Cowboys offense was dismal in the opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but took a step forward last week against the Bengals, despite Dak Prescott being sidelined with a thumb injury.
Aided by a strong defensive effort, the Cowboys upended the Bengals 20-17 in Week 2. The offense managed 337 yards in that matchup with Cooper Rush manning the starting QB spot. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore seemed to get the message from head coach Mike McCarthy when it came to play-calling.
“We’ve just got to trust what we build on our menu and got [to] adjust when you have change in [the] lineup, and we’re definitely working through that,” McCarthy said prior to the Bengals game. “And we want to make sure we’re helping but maybe not being as conservative as you’d like to be.
“Let’s be honest, Kellen’s time as a coordinator he’s been able to play very, very aggressive. But we’re in a phase right now, we’ve got to be a little smarter in certain situations. That’s all part of growing as a play caller.”
Cowboys Expected to Get Michael Gallup Back Soon
The Cowboys have shifted CeeDee Lamb to the No. 1 wide receiver role with Amari Cooper now in Cleveland and there’s limited proven depth around him to attract the attention of defense. After a disappointing two-catch performance against the Bucs, Lamb managed seven grabs for 75 yards against the Bengals. Noah Brown broke out with five catches for 91 yards and a score in Week 2 but no other receiver caught a pass.
Despite the lack of help, Cowboys owner Jones was clear that Lamb needs to adjust to more attention.
“People are covering your best receiver. That happens. What do you do? You’ve got to play through being covered,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “You’ve got to catch balls covered. You say, ‘Well that’s a trite thing to say.’ But you can’t just because you’re covered up not make some plays.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on @1053thefan of WR CeeDee Lamb: “People are covering your best receiver. That happens. What do you do? You’ve got to play through being covered. You’ve got to catch balls covered. …You can’t, just because they doubled you up, not make some plays”
Luckily, help appears to be on the way soon in the form of Michael Gallup, who is cautiously making his way back from an ACL tear he suffered at the end of last season. He received a full slate of work this week in practice and the release of Dennis Houston indicated that the team could be preparing to add Gallup to the active roster against the Giants on Monday.
The Cowboys signed former Steelers receiver James Washington this offseason but he is on injured reserve, recovering from a fractured foot he suffered in camp. The earlier he could return to the lineup is for Week 5.