The Dallas Cowboys reportedly were on the hunt for a wide receiver ahead of the trade deadline last week but could not get the math to work in the team’s favor. Reporting indicated that the team showed interest in Houston Texans’ Brandin Cooks and Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy, but the deadline came and went without a deal. Now on the other side of the half-point of the season, owner Jerry Jones has indicated that the Cowboys may still have a gamble up their sleeves to bring in big-name talent to augment the receiving corps.
Rumors are swirling that the Cowboys have set sights on nailing down former LA Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who has yet to play in 2022 after suffering an ACL tear during the Rams’ Super Bowl victory in February.
The Cowboys are not the only team that could benefit from acquiring the services of one of the game’s greats. The Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also reportedly in the mix.
Former Cowboys super-star Michael Irvin said on Pardon My Take last week that interest runs in both directions.
“I would love to see Odell on the Cowboys, but even bigger than that, I guarantee you that Odell would love to see Odell on the Cowboys,” Irvin said on the podcast. “Odell to the Cowboys can tilt the balance to the Cowboys. Odell wants to come in and be savior. He can be that savior to the Cowboys.”
The big question is whether the 30-year-old receiver could really be a “savior” to a receiving corps that simply lacks enough talent to create the kinds of mismatches necessary to be successful.
The Cowboys entered the season shipping Amari Cooper to Cleveland and anticipated relying on CeeDee Lamb as the new No.1. Behind Lamb, the Cowboys fielded more question marks than players. Michael Gallup was out, dealing with the recovery process from a torn ACL suffered in Week 17 of the previous season, then, there’s Simi Fehoko, Noah Brown, and tight ends Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson. Not the most fearsome cast of characters in the league.
Dallas brought in Pittsburgh’s James Washington at the start of the season, but hopes were dashed when he suffered a broken foot in training camp. Washington has yet to see a snap this season but is reportedly close to a return.
The group has resulted in only 1,611 receiving yards, 28th in the league. The team has only eight receiving touchdowns, the third-worst number in the league this season.
A lack of big-time explosiveness through the air has doubled down on the issues at running back, too. Running back Ezekiel Elliott is averaging only 4.1 YPC and missed his first game in Week 8 while dealing with a knee sprain and a leg contusion. Elliott is considered one of the better receiving backs around but has only six receptions this season.
“Odell Beckham would light up Dallas,” Irvin said. “Odell has to be in a place where the lights are bright to be at his best. He needs to be in the sun. Put him in LA. Put him in New York. Put him in Dallas, where the light is bright. That’s where you’ll see flowers.”
Flowers may not win games, but the fireworks that OBJ could offer might be just what the Cowboys organization needs to turn the corner before the 2022 season slips away.
