After having one of the best-receiving corps in the league two seasons ago, the Dallas Cowboys went from terrorizing opposing defenses to having opposing teams dare the Boys to beat them beyond Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb.
When Lamb wasn't open, there was no other receiver that was able to step up. To put it in perspective, Lamb had 107 receptions this past season, and the next closest wideout had 43 receptions (Noah Brown).
And to clarify, that is nothing against Brown, who had a breakout in the first half of the season, but he was once a WR3/WR4 option two seasons ago – and now he was your WR2 this season.
That's not okay. You could argue that their wide receiver group was worse than the pre-Amari Cooper trade.
But enough of the negatives because we're here to offer two guys who can come in and help the passing game. These two possess the speed that can stretch the field for the Cowboys offense. Plus, it would be nice to see more deep shots than the dink-and-dunk that the Boys mostly ran last year.
So, to ease your curiosity, check them out below.
1. Mecole Hardman
First, we start with Kansas City Chiefs wideout Mecole Hardman. A former second-round pick out of Georgia, Hardman was getting pegged as a Tyreek Hill replacement (when he was going through legal issues), but the Chiefs wound up having both speedsters on the team.
There were lofty expectations for him, and to be honest, he didn't let live up to them and still hasn't. However, the main reason for that issue arguably has to be his injury history.
But there is one thing that he has the Cowboys don't have, and that's speed.
According to PFF writer Marcus Mosher, Hardman has ranked in the 95th percentile among all WRs in separation percentage versus single coverage since 2020. So, yeah, he's good.
Mecole Hardman is the player I want the #Cowboys to add this offseason.
He ranks in the 95th percentile among all WRs in separation percentage vs. single coverage (since 2020) via @PFF https://t.co/EK633O2Zcw
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 30, 2023
While his market value is listed at $11M, according to Spotrac, and that may scare fans from signing him, the front office needs to open their pocketbooks if they're dedicated to improving.
2. Darius Slayton
If the front office isn't open to signing that contract, they can divert their energy and attention toward an NFC East wideout that has torched them through the years.
Mr. Darius Slayton.
A former fifth-round pick out of Auburn, Slayton assimilated himself to the league quickly as he finished with 700-plus receiving yards in his rookie year. He would have another 700-plus yards in his sophomore season, as he made himself known as one of the New York Giants' best playmakers.
However, in his next season, injuries and drops would hinder his production, and he didn't look the same. Now a free agent, there are questions if the Giants will opt to re-sign him.
With a market value of only $3.5M, you would imagine that it has to be a no-brainer signing for them. But with the current age of the NFL, things change quickly, and he could be donning different threads next season.
This is where the Cowboys step in, as they could reap the benefits of signing a cheap, young speedster who they are familiar with. While this could scream shades of the James Washington signing last year, Slayton has more production on his resume, and he's younger.
Having a speedster like Slayton as your WR3 (barring Michael Gallup holds onto his WR2 spot and returns to form) would benefit the offense as a whole, as the backend of the defense would have to respect Lamb, Gallup, and someone like Slayton breaking one downfield.
This also opens up your running game… so yeah.
If these two guys aren't to your taste, the Cowboys can look toward other options in free agency or the NFL Draft this year. Adding speed and talent to their offense has to be one of their number-one priorities this off-season, or we will endure a very long season next year.
