Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys are focused on getting past their two-game losing skid, but the NFC East squad is also being predicted to add a WR in the future. There is no question that there will be a “reload” of sorts on offense, but whether or not that includes Troy Franklin remains to be seen.
In a December 29 article, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski addressed how Dallas could approach the 2024 NFL draft. Referencing the offseason the Cowboys paid former WR Amari Cooper and drafted CeeDee Lamb, Sobleski thinks Jerry Jones could do something similar in 2024.
“While considering all of the options, the simplest solution is bringing in another dynamic threat, especially one like Oregon’s Troy Franklin, who is both a vertical and YAC threat every time he steps onto the field,” Sobleski writes. “Franklin’s greatest asset is his explosiveness, which is what the Cowboys expected from Cooks. Yet the veteran is averaging fewer yards after catch than both Ferguson and Gallup.”
It makes sense. Dallas has sorely lacked a consistent deep-ball option. As good as Lamb is, his greatest attribute is his quickness rather than his top speed. Franklin has already clocked a 4.35 40-yard dash time and looks to be a prime prospect for development.
Franklin’s Oregon Resume
If NFL or Cowboys fans want a quick sample of Franklin’s tape, just watch the highlight below. While USC’s secondary was far from good this year, they were athletic. Franklin ran right by them like they were defensive tackles.
#OregonDucks Wide Receiver Troy Franklin thread:
Franklin is listed at 6’3”, and only 185lbs, but he runs in the low 4.3s in the 40
Franklin was a slow burn at Oregon, but 2023 has been a definitive breakout campaign. After just 209 yards on 18 receptions in 2021, he has taken two big steps forward in his role. Sports Reference shows that he caught 61 passes for 891 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022, before going off in 2023.
Franklin averaged a whopping 17.1 receiving yards per catch in 2023, totaling 1383 receiving yards on 81 catches. He reached the endzone 14 times, the majority of which were through deep balls like the one below.
My name is Kyle Smith and I am declaring myself President of the Troy Franklin fan club
Essentially, there’s a lot to like about Franklin. He’s 6’3″, fast as can be and showing tangible signs of improvement.
Cowboys Could Say Goodbye to Multiple WRs
As Sobleski touches on, the Cowboys have paid a lot of money to Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks for lackluster production. Considering that QB Dak Prescott might throw for 4500 yards by the end of the regular season, Cooks and Gallup having just 976 receiving yards between them is not ideal.
The two receivers are going to make a combined $23.85 million in 2024. That is far too much for the current rate of production, so it’s not unlikely that one or both could be released this upcoming offseason.
The problem is that the Cowboys will still be on the hook due to guarantees, per Spotrac’s numbers. Cutting Gallup and his $13.85 million cap hit means that Dallas will be still be without $13 million due to his guaranteed money, while Cooks’ is set to make $10 million in 2024 but $6 million is guaranteed.
So, it’s not like Dallas will free up a bunch of money by releasing Cooks and Gallup. In fact, they still may be better off by just keeping the two receivers.