The Dallas Cowboys offense is among the top 10 offenses in the NFL through eight games, but there are areas where it needs to improve.
Quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb have carried the unit for most of the season, and team owner Jerry Jones called for others to step up while making his weekly appearance on Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning.
“We’ve got plenty of upside, serious upside with the guys we have on the team,” Jones said. “[But] we can get more out of really all three of our receivers other than Lamb.”
Lamb leads the team with 824 yards and three touchdowns on 57 receptions this season and has crossed the 100-yard mark in three consecutive games, but the rest of the receiving corps has just 597 combined yards. Tight end Jake Ferguson has helped shoulder the load in the passing game, but the team needs another receiver to step up if it hopes to reach its offensive potential.
“We want them all to get catches,” Jones added, “But we do well when Lamb gets a lot of catches.”
One player that could provide a spark is Brandin Cooks, who the Cowboys traded for in the offseason. Cooks has a long history of being a speedy, vertical threat in the NFL and has six seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. While he is on pace for career-worst numbers, Jones said he believes Cooks can still be a vital part of the offense.
“I think he’s an instrumental [player],” Jones told 105.3. “I think he’s indispensable because he gives us that speed receiver, and he gives us an outstanding receiver as well as the speed, and we need that.”
Going forward, Jones said he also wants to see more out of Michaell Gallup as the wide receiver continues to recover from injury, and second-year Jalen Tolbert, who has impressed the owner in his limited playing time.
“It’s a great feeling to see Tolbert coming on both in the games and at practice,” Jones remarked. “Gallup, unquestionably, is having to evolve back from his injury. … I really like where we are at this stage of this season with the potential we’ve got of expanding the success of our receiving corps.”
The running game has also been a struggle compared to recent years. Just last season, the Cowboys finished ninth in the NFL with 135.2 rushing yards per game, but this season, Dallas is 15th with around 111 rushing yards.
Of course, much of the unit’s success hinges on Prescott’s play, and Jones and company are confident in their quarterback’s decision-making and playmaking abilities.
“We let Dak’s experience, instinct, desire, and his ability rule the day on when you do that and when you don’t,” Jones explained. “… He’s real unique and has a real propensity to be as solid as he is in thinking about protecting the ball. He’s got a real skill in [knowing] when to throw and when to go.”
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EXTRA POINTS
— The Cowboys are hosting former Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders wide receiver Martavis Bryant for a workout. Bryant has 145 catches, over 2,000 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns in four previous NFL seasons but has had his share of troubles off the field.
— Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn says his unit needed to create more turnovers and get off the field on third down more often to beat Philadelphia on Sunday.
— Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray plans to return from last season’s ACL injury and start for the team on Sunday.
— New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
