Trade, free agency or draft: How should the Cowboys address WR need?

The pros and cons of free agency

The Cowboys haven’t been big spenders in free agency in recent years, and it doesn’t seem like that will be changing this year. They’ve instead made it a priority to re-sign their own free agents while filling needs through the draft or with cost-efficient veterans.

Free agency feels like one of the most expensive options for the Cowboys and I doubt they’ll go this route. Quite frankly, the list of available wide receivers isn’t that appealing.

There is some talent to be found in free agency. DJ Chark, Jakobi Meyers and Juju Smith-Schuster are some of the potential names we’ve floated around here. Assuming they are willing to sign cap-friendly deals, they could make fine additions to the wide receiver group. But none of them feel like major upgrades at the position.

Of course, the biggest receiver name in free agency is Odell Beckham Jr. The 30-year-old veteran spent the majority of last year recovering from the ACL injury he suffered in the Rams’ Super Bowl game against the Bengals. There were rumors that Beckham Jr. would sign with the Cowboys for a playoff push last year, but he ultimately ended up not signing with any team and sat out the entirety of the 2022 NFL season.

Now more than a year removed from his injury, Beckham Jr. is one of the hottest names on the market. And while we all know Jerry Jones loves to make a splash, the veteran’s asking price may be too high for the Cowboys to actually make a move. There’s no doubt signing Odell Beckham Jr. would be a flashy move, but that doesn’t make it a smart one.

Of the three ways to address receiver, the free agent market seems like the least efficient way. If the Cowboys are truly looking to upgrade the position, they might need to turn to the draft.