The Dallas Cowboys have seven picks in next week’s draft and more needs than selections. This week we will take a position-by-position look at the roster to determine which spots they needs are more necessary to fill than others.
WIDE RECEIVER
What they have: Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Brice Butler, Andy Jones, Lucky Whitehead, Quincy McDuffie, Uzoma Nwachkuwu, Shaq Evans
What they need: Bryant has missed games the last two seasons with leg injuries (foot and knee). He turns 29 in November, and while there is no reason to think the production will fall off, there has to be at least a little concern.
When he is right, Bryant remains one of the NFL’s best playmakers. This is a big offseason for him and Dak Prescott to work on their chemistry and take the next step.
Williams returning as a free agent with a four-year, $17 million deal was something of a surprise. The Cowboys felt he would go elsewhere but jumped at the chance to keep him. He can run all day and doesn’t miss games or practices. He makes plays in key moments, even if people just want to remember a couple of miscues.
Beasley had his best season in 2016 and quickly developed a rapport with Prescott as a security blanket. Butler re-signed on a one-year deal before Williams returned to the Cowboys. He has a big frame but needs to add consistency.
The Cowboys have a good mix of speed and quickness in this group, but you can always add speed and quickness. Generally speaking, they like their receivers to be bigger on the outside to handle the physical play and fight through coverages. Beasley is among the best slot receivers because his quickness at the line makes him a tough cover.
If they could find a receiver with solid return skills as an upgrade over Whitehead, that could be an area to explore.
Best fit: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Southern Cal. He was among the Cowboys’ national visitors to The Star. He won’t wow you with speed and separation, but he can make the difficult catches and is tough. While his production dropped from 2015, he still managed to get to the end zone 10 times in 2016. An interesting note the Cowboys will like: he broke his hand in 2015 and didn’t miss a game.
Late-round possibilities: Mississippi State’s Fred Ross, Baylor’s KD Cannon, North Carolina’s Mack Hollins. Ross was Dak Prescott’s favorite target at Mississippi State, so why not get the band back together? While some Baylor receivers have struggled to adapt to the NFL, Williams has been productive for the Cowboys, and Cannon has similar traits. Hollins is big (6-foot-4) and can play some special teams, which is normally a must for the final few roster spots.
Feeling a draft: This isn’t a "need" position, but the Cowboys could be looking beyond 2017 to develop a receiver. If the right guy falls to them in the early rounds, then maybe they would take a chance, but this looks like a Day 3-only type of selection.