Cowboys 2021 draft: 5 impact players beyond the first round
Scouting Report. AmariRodgers. player. Pick Analysis. WR. Clemson 5'10 210 lbs. 4. 879
I know the Dallas Cowboys already have a great group of receivers. They just spent a first-round pick on wideout CeeDee Lamb. Why would they need to draft a wide receiver?
Here lays a wideout that is similar to wide receiver Michael Gallup. Someone that can vertically stretch the field and has big-play potential. Clemson’s Amari Rodgers is a player to watch in the third round of the draft.
The Cowboys need to save money, and Gallup’s contract will expire at the end of the 2021 season. That leaves the team needing a wide receiver.
Dallas has wideouts like Noah Brown and Cedrick Wilson, who have flashed potential, but neither has as high a ceiling as Rodgers. He would be a shifty option in the slot for years to come.
I would look at Rodgers as a faster Cole Beasley. The Cowboys relied on him in the slot position for three seasons. That was before he took off for Buffalo and solidified his reputation in the NFL.
Another way you can look at this is a possible out of wide receiver Amari Cooper’s contract. Gallup and Lamb can take over as the top two options on their rookie contracts, while Rodgers slides in the slot. The team would save a lot of money, which would help re-sign other players.
Rodgers had the privilege of catching passes from quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The duo combined for 1020 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020, equal to Rodgers’ seasons from 2018 and 2019 combined.
2020 first-round pick Tee Higgens and star wideout Justyn Ross took most of the attention away from Rodgers. With those two away from the team during the 2020 season, Rodgers finally got the opportunities he deserved, and he made the most of them.
Losing Cooper would suck, but you need to consider different situations. The team desperately needs money. That is just one way to save some.
Drafting a wide receiver in the top three rounds should set off the alarms surrounding Cooper. Grabbing Rodgers in the third round would allow the team to save money and use their top two picks to address the defense.