Dallas knew they would be thinner at wide receiver this season than they've been in years. With CeeDee Lamb at the top of the depth chart and the promise of getting Michael Gallup back, the Cowboys front office seemed to feel comfortable enough in their personnel not to pursue any big-name wideouts this summer.
Instead, Jerry Jones and company opted for draft additions like Jalen Tolbert and minor free agent acquisitions like James Washington and KaVontae Turpin to round out the receiving corps. That gamble is starting to look like an ill-fated one after Washington was carted out of practice in Oxnard on Monday with a foot injury.
Reports indicate Washington sustained a fracture in his right foot, which will require surgery and keep him out for six to 10 weeks. With this development, an already shaky list of Cowboys wide receivers becomes even more of a concern. The good news for Dallas is that there are still several wideouts left on the free agent market capable of filling Washington's shoes.
Cowboys Wide Receiver Options For James Washington Replacement
3. Cole Beasley
If Dallas looks to the free agent market, one of the first names they consider might be a familiar one. Cole Beasley left the Buffalo Bills as a free agent this offseason after averaging over 800 yards a year over three seasons with the team. Beasley broke out as a Cowboy in 2016 when he emerged as Dak Prescott's favorite wide receiver during his rookie campaign.
The Cowboys could cash in on that connection once again by bringing Beasley back into the fold. The SMU product's departure from Dallas in 2019 was a bit of a contentious one, but a tweet sent by Beasley in response to concerns about his willingness to return to the Cowboys indicates he is receptive to the idea.
2. Will Fuller
Maybe the best overall wide receiver still on the market is Will Fuller. Fuller is also one of the more volatile options the Cowboys have after missing time last season for a PED suspension, personal issues, and a finger injury.
Availability issues aside, Fuller has flashed elite tools at times during his career. Fuller amassed nearly 900 yards and eight touchdowns in just 11 games in 2020 during his final season in Houston.
The Cowboys are in fairly dire straits in terms of wide receiver personnel at the moment. With time running out before the start of the season, Fuller's upside might be enough for them to take a chance on him. If not, the Cowboys could always try and swing a trade for one of Fuller's teammates from his Texans days, Brandin Cooks.
1. T.Y. Hilton or Odell Beckham Jr.
The Cowboys have enough trouble with injuries in their wide receiver already, but if they're willing to take a risk on another player plagued by injury recently, they could take a look at either T.Y. Hilton or Odell Beckham Jr.
Hilton hasn't reached the 1,000-yard summit since 2018, but he has also missed 16 total contests over that span. Hilton also hasn't played for a quarterback of Dak Prescott's caliber since the Andrew Luck era in Indy, so there are reasons to be optimistic about a hypothetical union between the veteran wideout and the Cowboys.
Beckham's injury troubles are much more recent. After suffering a torn ACL in last year's Super Bowl, the former NFC East wideout finds himself without a team after a week of training camp. Beckham, like Hilton, hasn't been a dominant pass catcher for some time. Also like Hilton, OBJ has missed significant time due to injury and battled poor quarterback play in recent seasons. OBJ might look odd in silver and blue after his years spent playing for the New York Giants, but he might also be a good ceiling play for Dallas' front office.
Other Options For Cowboys
If the Cowboys strike out on all of the younger free agent pass-catchers they'll have to look to some players who are a little longer in the tooth. At 35 years old, Emmanuel Sanders and DeSean Jackson are the oldest free agent wide receivers still available after the announcement of Danny Amendola's retirement. Sanders' 626 receiving yards last year bested Jackson's 454, but Jackson's deep ball ability appears to have followed him into the twilight years of his career. Jackson averaged 22.7 yards per reception last year and his 75-yard touchdown catch against the Buccaneers in Week 3 reminded everyone of the instant offense he is still capable of providing.
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