Prospective free agents making a pitch to join the Dallas Cowboys is nothing new, and it seems like an untimely playoff exit following a 12-5 regular season won’t change that. The Pittsburgh Steelers also faced a first round playoff exit at the Chiefs, which was QB Ben Roethlisberger’s last game. Their top WR in JuJu Smith-Schuster may not be interested in sticking around for a rebuild on offense, instead making his pitch to join Dak Prescott at The Star.
Smith-Schuster and Prescott were at the Ford Center for a promotional event on Thursday, sponsored by 7/11. The soon-to-be free agent WR was impressed by the Cowboys practice facility, saying the Steelers still have “wooden” locker rooms. Smith-Schuster has made headlines before with controversial comments and social media posts, and only played in five games including the playoff matchup this season.
This likely won’t stop another team from paying Smith-Schuster as a top receiver, something the Cowboys aren’t exactly in the market for. Receiver being a team need at all falls on the inability of Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb to match their early production in the second half of the season. Michael Gallup will be a free agent this offseason, fresh off ACL surgery. Cedrick Wilson stepped up in Gallup’s absence throughout the season, but is also a pending free agent.
The Cowboys best path towards remaining atop the NFC East and advancing in the playoffs is to continue building a powerhouse offense. Adding a player like Smith-Schuster to an already strong cast of WRs would be the type of surprising move that shows a real commitment here. Smith-Schuster is the type of receiver that can take the top off a defense, but also be a reliable target in the quick game that Dallas missed this season.
Smith-Schuster was playing on a new one-year deal in Pittsburgh this season, but was lost for the season with a shoulder injury in week five.
