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Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott, Allen Hurns building vital chemistry

By Steven Mullenax

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 30: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up in a before the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on November 30, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 30: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up in a before the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on November 30, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Can Dak Prescott and Allen Hurns build the chemistry the Dallas Cowboys quarterback and former number one wide receiver Dez Bryant never could?

The chemistry between a quarterback and his receivers is key to any successful passing attack in the NFL. Last season, the Dallas Cowboys had an example of where a lack of chemistry in that area hurt the team. They certainly hope that isn’t the case in 2018.

For the past two years, quarterback Dak Prescott and his top wide receiver, Dez Bryant, struggled to build the amount of chemistry the veteran wide out had with the previous man under center, Tony Romo. But Romo and Bryant had seven seasons to build that successful relationship.

During the two year-span Prescott and Bryant spent together, Dez caught only 52% of Dak’s passes. The on-field connection between the two simply never materialized. And that’s a big part of the reason Bryant is no longer in Dallas.

In place of Dez, the Cowboys have inserted several new faces into this wide receiver corps. Both Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson were signed as free agents this offseason. Dallas also drafted Colorado State’s Michael Gallup in the third round and Boise State’s Cedrick Wilson Jr. in the sixth. Finally, they traded a sixth rounder to the Los Angeles Rams for former first round selection Tavon Austin.

Out of all these new additions, it’s Hurns that is expected to become Prescott’s new favorite target. And that’s simply based on history. The former undrafted receiver out of Florida in 2014 has posted stellar numbers in the past. Just two years ago, as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hurns recorded 64 receptions for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Injuries hindered Hurns from replicating those stats the past two seasons. But in Dallas, and with the recent exodus of Bryant, the 26-year old has an opportunity to become “the man” in Big D. But job number one is building a strong rapport with Prescott. And so far, it appears Dak is pleased by their progress.

"“I love what Allen does,” Prescott told ESPN.com. “One of the smartest receivers we have and can move all the way across the board from X to Z to inside, knows defenses, knows when he needs to come in and make blocks … He’s just getting better, and he’s a guy that I love to come in each and every day and work with.”"

With the Cowboys losing both tight end Jason Witten (retirement) and Bryant this offseason, that opens up a whopping 219 targets from last season, as both veterans led the team in that category. New players like Hurns, Austin and Gallup figure to soak up a good portion of those newly available targets this upcoming season.

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But it’s Allen Hurns whom many predict will be the biggest beneficiary in his new home with the Dallas Cowboys. And who knows? Maybe both Hurns and Dak Prescott can build a better chemistry in their first few outings together than what Dez Bryant and the now third-year quarterback had in previous seasons.

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