Do you know the difference between a lump of coal and a diamond? Pressure.
Both coal and diamonds are made out of carbon, but when pressure and heat are applied to coal over a period of time a diamond forms. Well, after revamping their wide receiver position, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping that their lump of coal turns into a diamond sooner rather than later.
Now, I know it’s not the best comparison in the world, but I do think the Cowboys receivers are more like a lump of coal right now than a diamond. But, that could change depending on how they respond to the pressure they are under.
There is no denying the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver position is arguably under the most pressure to succeed in 2018 than any other. That’s because they decided to release their No. 1 WR, Dez Bryant, and pretty much overhauled the rest of the position. Unfortunately, it’s created a lot of unknown heading into the season.
Luckily, things may not be as bleak as they seem from the outside looking in. The Cowboys have added some playmakers who should be able to not only replace Dez Bryant’s lost production, but also be a better fit for what Quarterback Dak Prescott prefers in his pass catchers.
The Cowboys just have a few practices under their belt so far, but it’s really looking as if Prescott and his receivers already have a pretty good bond with one another. This is encouraging because they should only continue to get better throughout the remainder of training camp and preseason.
Just about every Dallas Cowboys wide receiver has created a buzz for themselves at some point in training camp. Tavon Austin’s speed has been impressive. Cole Beasley has been unrecoverable and has seen his route tree/role expanded. And, rookie Michael Gallup has started to round into form after a slow start, catching everything thrown his way.
Things are just getting started, but this is already heating up to be the position battle to watch for the rest of the offseason. There’s just so much unknown and intrigue moving forward with this group of receivers that will have all eyes fixated on who’s doing what and who’s distancing themselves from the others.
I know I may be reading too much into these training camp practices right now, but good news is always better than bad. That’s why I like to look at things anyway.
The Dallas Cowboys wide receivers may be a lump of coal right now, but I think the pressure they are under to succeed is going to end up turning them into diamonds. They may never be all smooth and polished, but even a rough cut diamond is extremely valuable.
