The Dallas Cowboys have begun the 2024 NFL season with a record of just 2-2, and the team could benefit heavily from added depth at the wide receiver position after news that Brandin Cooks will miss time due to an infection in his leg.
Dallas may opt against making a move for a wide receiver before the trade deadline in four weeks, but the franchise must take a look at the available options to determine what would be best for the team.
The good news for the Cowboys is that there are options available in both free agency and on the trade market, which could provide some flexibility if the team does decide to make a move for another pass catcher.
Regardless of whether the franchise would prefer to sign or trade for additional help at wide receiver, the Cowboys should have multiple options at the position for the rest of the season.
Julio Jones, Free Agent, 6-foot-3-inch and 220 pounds
Jones is the most likely player on this list to be brought into the Cowboys organization since the team would not be required to give up any draft capital to acquire him, but he is also the player who would be the least impactful.
The 35-year-old receiver has now spent the last three seasons as a member of three different teams, finishing those three seasons with only 807 combined receiving yards and six touchdowns.
However, Dallas has a history of bringing in players who may be on the back end of their careers and giving them an opportunity, evidenced by the Cowboys’ decision to sign running back Dalvin Cook earlier this season despite his lack of production in recent years.
While Jones has not been impactful on the field since the 2020 season with the Atlanta Falcons, he could still step into the Cowboys’ receiving room and play an important role through his mentorship.
Outside of Ceedee Lamb and Cooks, the Cowboys’ wide receiver core is one of the youngest in the league, with Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Tolbert, and Jalen Brooks all being younger than 26 years old.
Although Jones joining the Cowboys’ organization would likely not have a meaningful impact on his statistics, many of the younger players on the team could benefit greatly by learning from one of the best wide receivers of all time.
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns, 6-foot-1-inch and 210 pounds
Cooper already has a rapport with the Cowboys after spending four years with the organization between 2018 and 2022 before sending him to Cleveland, but Dallas could now look to re-acquire the former Pro Bowl receiver.
The Browns are currently tied for last place in the AFC North division after beginning the season with a record of 1-3, and recent moves by the organization indicate that the front office could look to move Cooper if the team continues to struggle.
Cleveland previously acquired Cooper from the Cowboys for a sixth-round pick swap and a fifth-round pick, and this compensation could be similar if the Cowboys were to re-acquire the receiver sometime this season.
The Browns also opted to restructure Cooper’s current contract and convert all but $1.21 million of his salary into a signing bonus, meaning any team that trades for him will be responsible for less than $1 million of his salary, according to Spotrac.
While Cooper is coming off a fantastic year with the Browns in 2023, finishing the season with 1,250 receiving yards and five touchdowns, he has struggled to find his footing to begin the 2024 season.
Through the first four games of the Browns’ season, Cooper has collected just 148 receiving yards and two touchdowns while also being credited with eight drops, which is already the second-highest number he has had for a single season in his career.
Cooper has also struggled this season to create “multiple steps of separation” from defenders as he is currently ranked 44th out of 45 qualified players, though his issues could become less of a concern on a new team and in a different offensive scheme, per Jacob Gibbs.
A change of scenery could prove to be beneficial for both Cooper and the Browns, and the Cowboys could be one of the top options for the former Pro Bowler.
Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders, 6-foot-1-inch and 215 pounds
Of all the available options for wide receiver depth for the Cowboys, Adams would be the most beneficial addition but is also the least likely option due to the compensation that will be required in a trade.
The wide receiver has already informed the Raiders that he would prefer to be traded sometime this season, and the Raiders have indicated that they will begin discussing trades with other organizations in the coming weeks.
Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones has already said that the franchise is not interested in acquiring Adams, noting on Friday morning that a potential trade “would be a long putt” due to the salary cap concerns, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
Regardless, the Cowboys should call the Raiders and attempt to trade for the 31-year-old because he is that impressive and would drastically help the team compete for a Super Bowl this season.
Adams is coming off a 2023 season in which he picked up 1,144 receiving yards and eight touchdowns despite the Raiders having multiple coaches and quarterbacks over the year.
While Adams has struggled at times this season to separate from his defenders, ranking 39th out of the 45 qualified players when evaluating who gets “multiple steps of separation,” many of these issues could be attributed to injuries and situations, according to Jacob Gibbs.
Adams is currently dealing with a hamstring injury that is not expected to sideline him for long, though any lower-body injury will have an impact on a receiver’s ability to create separation from defenders in the secondary.
Similarly, Adams is having to adjust to a new offensive scheme, as Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy is in his first with the Raiders organization after being hired during the most recent offseason.
After previously requesting a trade to another organization, Adams is likely to be moved within the coming weeks and the Cowboys should make an attempt at bringing him to Dallas.
Although the Cowboys should make a move at the wide receiver position at some point this season, they will enter their Week 5 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers with the current group of pass catchers.
Dallas will be featured on Sunday Night Football with kickoff scheduled to take place at 7:20 p.m., but the team could now be without a variety of players who are listed on the injury report.
In addition to players who were already expected to miss Week 5, the Cowboys could now be without cornerback Trevon Diggs after he appeared on the team’s injury report during Friday’s practice due to an ankle injury.
