5 cheap additions for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason
49. . . . Allen Lazard, WR. 4. player
Whoa, a wide receiver? Why on earth would a wide receiver be on this list? Well, because it is an attempt to save money. The Dallas Cowboys can get rid of a wideout that is making a lot of money.
The player in mind is Amari Cooper and his $22 million cap hit. While his impact on the team is evident, the team has two other very good players. Michael Gallup was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2019, and they spent a first-round pick on CeeDee Lamb.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard is a physical wideout that quarterback Aaron Rodgers loves. While that would make many think Lazard will stay in Green Gay, they are over the salary cap next season and already have Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Davante Adams, and Devin Funchess.
The Packers’ passing offense will always surround Rodgers and Adams, with decent surrounding pieces helping out. Lazard had a catching percentage of 69.4 percent over the past two seasons, with three touchdowns and 400+ yards in both.
This season he was limited to only ten games. His 451 yards and three touchdowns would have him on pace for 722 yards and five touchdowns in a full season.
No, Lazard is not a big-play wide receiver. What he will do, is give quarterback Dak Prescott an excellent red-zone threat. You throw the ball up, and Lazard can go up and grab it.
The last time the Cowboys had a receiver like that was in 2016 when they had Dez Bryant. Since then, Dallas hasn’t had that impact physical receiver. Lamb is their guy right now, but grabbing Lazard will give Dak another option and let Lamb focus on making the big plays.
Lazard could sign a short-term contract paying him around $6 million per season. If the Cowboys trade Cooper after June 1, they will save $16 million. The team would pay $2 million in dead cap.
Dallas’ receiving corps will take a substantial hit by losing Cooper. Replacing him is a difficult task, but his cap hit puts the team in an unfortunate position. In the meantime, the team would hope for Lamb to reach his potential and become a superstar wideout.