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The Dallas Cowboys are entering an important offseason, and one of the team’s gold jacket alumni is calling for new wide receivers.
Dallas was linked to moves with Odell Beckham Jr. for a large part of the 2022 season, but only ever added T.Y. Hilton as a “mercenary” of sorts and it’s unclear if the veteran will return. Either way, Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin believes the team needs to add new blood to the group.
Speaking to 105.3 The Fan, Irvin bluntly explained his belief that the current group is not good enough.
“There’s no doubt we need help there,” Irvin said. “There’s no doubt… This isn’t as bad as when we first asked Dak (Prescott) to go at it with (Allen) Hurns and all those (lackluster) receivers before we brought in Amari Cooper. That thing was looking bad.”
Irvin makes his thoughts very clear by referencing the 2018 group of wide receivers, criticizing the current group but then giving context that Dallas isn’t in as bad as shape as the wide receiver group led by Allen Hurns before the trade for Amari Cooper.
What moves the Cowboys make to address the receivers remains to be seen, but the team does have options.
Potential Free Agent Options
Barring an unforeseen move, Dallas will ride with CeeDee Lamb as a definite starter. In terms of players that can match up with him, one of the most attractive options would be current Detroit Lions wide receiver D.J. Chark.
Chark started his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, going to a Pro Bowl in 2019 while in Florida, but elected to join the Lions before the 2022 season. His time wasn’t exactly a thriving success, as he only played 11 games and caught 30 receptions for 502 yards and three touchdowns according to Spotrac.
But that 16.7 yards per reception is the exact type of receiver Dallas needs: a tall downfield threat that can beat corners in coverage to win on big passes. However, Spotrac also projects his average salary on his next contract to be around $10 million, which may price Dallas out.
Dallas could find cheaper options, such as New England Patriots receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers’ average yards per reception is far lower than Chark’s (12.0 per catch,) but he’s a proven big playmaker who had six TDs in 2022, despite being in a more traditional, safer offense.
Former Cowboys Coach Believes Other Position Group Will Change
While Irvin is calling for new receivers, former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells expects a shakeup at running back. In an article for The 33rd Team, Parcells thinks running back Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys are “near the end.”
“They’re going to have to invest in some new running backs,” Parcells said. “Tony Pollard had a great year (career highs of 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns). I don’t know if he can hold up for too long physically, and he’s a free agent this offseason. I think Ezekiel Elliott is near the end.”
The futures of Pollard and Elliott will be major talking points all offseason, and Parcells clearly thinks that there’s a reality where neither of the Cowboys’ RBs are on the squad in 2023.
It would also require a massive overhaul to satiate what Parcells and Irvin are calling for, but that may be what the Cowboys need in order to elevate to a new competitive level.
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