Getty Cowboys WR Noah Brown (85)
The Dallas Cowboys are returning their top five wide receivers from 2020.
After tendering restricted free agent Cedrick Wilson, the Cowboys re-signed unrestricted free agent WR Noah Brown to a one-year contract, the team announced on March 17.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, Brown’s deal is worth $1.127 million; he received a $137,500 signing bonus. His base salary for the 2021 campaign will be $990,000.
For now, and until further notice, the Cowboys’ elite pass-catching corps consists of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Wilson, and Brown — the weaponry around $160 million franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.
Other in-house retentions since last week’s opening of free agency: RFA defensive lineman Antwaun Woods, who was tendered at the original-round ($2.133 million) level; UFA cornerback Jourdan Lewis, who landed a three-year, $16.5 million pact; and UFA CB C.J. Goodwin, who received a two-year, $3.5 million deal.
The Cowboys have also signed several outside players, including outside linebacker Tarell Basham, defensive linemen Brent Urban and Carlos Watkins, offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe, and long snapper Jake McQuaide.
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Background on Brown
A 2017 seventh-round draft pick, Brown played all 16 games last year for the first time as a pro, collecting 14 receptions on 24 targets for 154 scoreless yards. He was a bigger contributor on special teams, logging 217 snaps (47.17%) for coordinator John Fassel’s unit.
Brown previously spent more time on the trainer’s table than the football. A nagging hamstring injury torpedoed his sophomore campaign, limiting the 25-year-old to eight games and five catches for 54 yards. Brown missed all of 2019 on injured reserve after undergoing left knee surgery. He made 13 appearances as a rookie, tallying four grabs for 33 yards.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder played collegiately at Ohio State where he posted 33 receptions for 411 yards and seven TDs across 14 career games (2014, 2016). In his post-draft scouting report, Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller compared Brown to former Jets WR Quincy Enunwa, while Pro Football Focus couched him as a developmental prospect.
Brown is a physical, well-built receiver that uses his long arms and above-average catch radius to his advantage in a variety of situations. He is one of the most fearless blockers in the draft class, and repeatedly put both linebackers and defensive back on the ground as a major cog in the Ohio State rushing attack. He still has a lot of work to do as a route-runner, but the big-play potential is there as he develops his game while likely contributing on special teams early in his career.
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Other Housekeeping
Since news of Brown’s contract first leaked, the Cowboys waived from its offseason roster wide receiver Jon’Vea Johnson, WR Chris Lacy, center Marcus Henry, and tight end Cole Hikutini, and previously released punter Chris Jones.
Johnson was out of a job for roughly 24 hours. Per the NFL’s transaction wire, the Jacksonville Jaguars claimed the third-year wideout off waivers Saturday, reuniting the 6-foot, 192-pound pass-catcher with former Cowboys receivers coach Sanjay Lal.
In announcing this wave of cuts, the team also revealed that WR Malik Turner inked a one-year contract to return in 2021. Turner, a restricted free agent, was not tendered by the team. Terms of his deal are not available as of this writing.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL