Dallas Cowboys: Wide receivers on the outside, looking in

The Dallas Cowboys appear to have as many as five wide receivers as locks to make the active roster. So who is left on the outside looking in this summer?

For years, you knew who the Dallas Cowboys top wide receivers on their depth chart would be. Those well-known names being Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley. But after posting a disappointing season, the Cowboys’ brass decided to shake things up this year.

Bryant was outright released after three consecutive seasons of underwhelming production. Williams, who figured to benefit most from Dez’s absence, broke his foot and is dealing with a recent arrest. He also failed to score a single touchdown in 2017. And Beasley, who appeared to be one of the best slot receivers in the NFL two years ago, all but disappeared last season.

Despite their struggles, both Williams and Beasley figure to be locks to make the Cowboys active roster in 2018. But the two veterans will be joined by a slew of new faces.

This offseason, Dallas added Allen Hurns, Deonte Thompson, Tavon Austin , Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Marchie Murdock and Malik Earl to a bloated 90-man roster that already included receivers Lance Lenoir, Noah Brown and K.D. Cannon.

The 26-year old Hurns signed a two-year, $12 million contract back in March as a free agent. He figures to be a lock to make the active roster as well. He’s the favorite to become the Cowboys new starting “X” receiver, replacing Bryant in the lineup.

Dallas traded a sixth round pick to obtain the speedster Austin, who should become the Cowboys’ newest gadget player and special teams returner. Finally, Gallup was Dallas’ third round selection out of Colorado State back in April.

Combined with Williams and Beasley, Hurns, Austin and Gallup represent five probable “locks” to make the team’s final roster. And last season, the Cowboys only carried six receivers into the regular season. The year before that, just five.

So, it is very possible the remaining seven receivers could all be vying for one single spot on the active roster.

Would that spot go to a veteran like Thompson, who has been impressive in OTA’s? How about Brown, who forced himself onto the active roster last year as a rookie due to his ability as a run blocker? Or maybe it will be Lenior, who spent most of 2017 on Dallas’ practice squad before getting called up for the final game of the season.

Let’s not forget, there is a lot of time before now and the start of the regular season. Will Williams even be on the roster come September? Could his recent arrest result in a suspension? How will injuries figure into this positional group, possibly opening up a spot or two? Are the Cowboys even done addressing the position?

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These are all questions that are being answered now and will continue to be through the preseason. The Dallas Cowboys have done a good job of stacking their wide receiver position with talent. Now, we wait and see how it all shakes out this summer.