The Dallas Cowboys have a revamped wide receiver group after trading for Brandin Cooks in March. The addition of Cooks puts pressure on several returning Cowboys veteran wideouts to make the final 53-man roster.
One name to watch is 24-year-old receiver Dennis Houston, whom Dallas has been high on during his short time with the franchise. USA Today’s K.D. Drummond projected that Houston will be among the wideouts cut, along with Jalen Moreno-Cropper, David Durden, Jalen Brooks, Dontario Drummond and Jose Barbon.
The projections have Cooks, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko and Kavontae Turpin as the receivers making the final roster. Drummond added that Moreno-Cropper and Durden are top candidates to be re-signed on Dallas’ practice squad if they are released.
Houston played in just two games for the Cowboys last season, posting 2 receptions for 16 yards. Dallas signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022 to a two-year, $1.6 million contract that runs through the 2024 season.
Dennis Houston Is Among the Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers Fighting for a Roster Spot
Outside of Lamb, Dallas struggled to find consistent receiver production in 2022. It was a bit of a surprise Dallas did not look to make any other major additions outside of Cooks this offseason. Given Houston’s limited production, it would be understandable if the wideout finds it difficult to make the final roster.
“[Antonio] Calloway’s arrest led to his almost immediate release, and he was penciled in to a roster spot in this space,” Drummond wrote on June 12, 2023. “Several tough cuts here. Dallas will take the annual risk where the draftniks swear a UDFA won’t clear waivers and he inevitably does. That’s Durden and JMC here, but if either are snatched that would open space on the PS16 for Houston or Drummond.”
The Cowboys are hoping that Gallup, a six-year veteran whose best season was 2019, and Tolbert can both display more consistent production in 2023. Tolbert indicated he is ready to “flush” his rookie season, when he appeared in eight games (one start) but made only two catches for 12 yards.
“Just having that time away where I could go back. I went home [during the] Senior Bowl, saw all my family, friends, people in school and it kind of just reverted me to being that dude, being able to watch some of the stuff I did in college,” Tolbert said during a June 1 media session.
“And then, obviously, Dak hit me about running routes and then jumped straight into it and been working and building on that ever since. So, definitely this offseason I flushed it and I’m ready for next year.”
The Dallas Cowboys Do Not Sound Eager to Sign Another Wide Receiver
Despite the availability of free agent veterans such as DeAndre Hopkins, Dallas has not appeared eager to sign another wide receiver. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy hinted that the team was content with its current group of playmakers heading into training camp.
“I’ll say this — obviously, being on offense full-time — I really do like the look of our group,” McCarthy told reporters on June 1. “The vertical speed, we’ve made some improvement there and obviously we’re not in any full-speed-type activities, outside of seven-on-seven, so you can feel that from our guys. But, yeah, as far as players that are not here, there’s nothing good that comes out of those answers.
“Hops [is] a hell of a talent. I had a chance to be around his first Pro Bowl, so I’ve always had respect for him since his rookie year.”
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Cowboys Predicted to Cut 24-Year-Old Wide Receiver