Dallas Cowboys need their own DeAndre Hopkins

As the Dallas Cowboys offense struggled through the air against the Houston Texans, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was willing his team to victory.

Coming into the matchup against the Houston Texans in Week Five, the Dallas Cowboys passing game was poised to have a solid outing. The Texans’ defensive secondary had allowed a total of 715 yards through the air in their previous two contests.

Yet, the Cowboys wide receivers combined for only six total receptions for 80 yards against Houston’s shaky secondary Sunday night. On the other side of the field, Texans’ wideout DeAndre Hopkins posted nine receptions for 151 yards on his own. Hopkins has recorded a whopping 39 receptions for 594 yards and two touchdowns in five games.

Dallas clearly has a lack of playmakers at wide receiver, particularly on the outside. This was a position previously occupied by Dez Bryant, who was released by the Cowboys back in April. But even Bryant was only a shell of his former self the past three seasons as injuries and Father Time appeared to have taken their toll on the former first rounder.

This offseason, the Cowboys made an attempt to acquire veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins via free agency. But Dallas was outbid for Watkins’ services by the Kansas City Chiefs, who are currently undefeated at 5-0. Watkins has recorded 20 receptions for 254 yards and one touchdown so far this season.

For the Cowboys, running back Ezekiel Elliott actually leads the team in both targets (29) and receptions (22). Veteran Cole Beasley leads the receiver corps with 17 catches on 24 targets for 193 yards. Against the Texans, Beasley was targeted three times and made his only reception for eight yards in overtime.

In the offseason, Dallas toyed with the idea of making diminutive receivers Beasley (5-foot-8) and Tavon Austin (5-foot-8) outside threats. But their effectiveness has been very inconsistent on the outside whether being due to their lack of size, lack of separation or quarterback Dak Prescott‘s inability to get them the ball accurately.

Bigger receivers like Michael Gallup, Terrance Williams, and Allen Hurns have all struggled to gain separation themselves. Williams was sent to Injured Reserve last week due to a lingering foot injury. And both Hurns and Gallup have both caught less than 50 percent of their very limited targets through five games. The Cowboys lone deep threat, veteran Deonte Thompson, hasn’t posted a reception longer than 13-yards yet this season.

The Dallas Cowboys don’t have a DeAndre Hopkins on their current roster. Even combining the production of all of their receivers Sunday night didn’t match what Hopkins was able to accomplish alone in the Texans’ overtime win. Clearly, Dallas needs more talent at the wide receiver position. But that’s unlikely to be addressed until 2019.