Ah, free agency. The period of the NFL where almost every big name is a must get for fans. However, in the Dallas Cowboys case the possibility of landing a big name free agent is virtually impossible. To bring a name would mean a high value contract, which the Cowboys cant' do. They have to worry about working on deals for DeMarcus Lawrence, Amari Cooper, Dak Preskott and Ezekiel Elliot.
They are already hand strung with big names, so they won't be big players in free agency. Despite not being in the market for a star player the Cowboys can still find a diamond in the rough in free agency to improve their offense. The free agent I am referring to is wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
The 31 year old seasoned veteran was recently cut by the Baltimore Ravens, not because he was lacking in production, but because of the new direction their offense is going with Lamar Jackson.
Crabtree should be one of the most coveted receivers for any playoff contending team. Even at 31 years old, Crabtree is still a productive receiver. He isn't the fastest receiver, but his route running is nice and crisp. He easily fills the need at the No.2 receiver spot for the Dallas Cowboys.
What makes acquiring Crabtree even more enticing is his experience with Amari Cooper. Both receivers were former teammates with the Oakland Raiders and put up stellar numbers as a pair for three seasons. While Cooper would go high to take away the safety, Crabtree would come under and find the soft spot of the defense.
Crabtree's football intelligence gets overlooked often. He understands how to beat certain coverages and gets himself open. Finding soft spots in a defense is not to be taken lightly. That is an indication of an aware receiver. That's something Cole Beasley accomplished with the Cowboys.
As it stands, Beasley is likely to find work elsewhere or at least weigh his options. It would behoove the Cowboys to replace Beasley with Michael Crabtree. He's a dramatic upgrade at receiver outside of Amari Cooper and gives the offense a significant redzone threat.
Before Cooper arrived in Dallas via trade, the Cowboys offense was stagnate. Insert Cooper into the lineup and suddenly they become an explosive offense. However, come playoff time defenses can easily take away Cooper like how we saw in their game against the Los Angeles Rams. By bringing in a real threat behind Amari, especially somebody who excelled playing with him for three years, the offense will be able to sustain drives better.
It's all about having options on offense, which is something quarterback Dak Preskott hasn't had yet. With a dangerous duo at receiver and Ezekiel Elliot running the ball, the Dallas Cowboys offense will return as a top five offense in the league.
If the Cowboys are serious about making a run this year while their star players are still on rookie deals, then bringing in Michael Crabtree exponentially increases their odds.
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