KaVontae Turpin may be answering the Cowboys’ biggest WR problem

Adding an offensive playmaker seemed like a no-brainer for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. With free agency and the NFL Draft wrapped up, the team failed to add any significant speedy names to their receiving corps.

Sometimes solutions to problems are hidden in plain sight, though. KaVontae Turpin is renowned for his return ability, but quietly developed into a reliable, speedy option as a receiver. He may be just the piece people were trying to mock to Dallas in the draft or predict as their next signing.

Former Texas wideout Matthew Golden was a popular name mocked to the Cowboys with the 12th overall selection. Often regarded as the second-best wideout in the draft, he was considered a great fit for what the team needed. Someone with speed who can play well in one-on-one coverage.

Turpin possesses the athleticism to thrive in the NFL. He finished the 2024 season with 420 receiving yards, good for fourth on the team. That's while mostly playing and practicing as a returner, except for the odd play looking to force the ball his way.

KaVontae Turpin is the speedy WR the Cowboys have been missing all along

During the 2023 USFL season, the then-New Jersey General led the league in receiving yards and was named league MVP. While that level of production will not be expected of Turpin in the NFL, especially with CeeDee Lamb on the roster, being a complementary piece is not out of the question.

At 5-foot-9, Turpin's production will be entirely based on his speed and ability to get open as opposed to making contested catches. Looking back on the success of Cole Beasley from his time in Dallas and Buffalo, it's more than possible for someone with that short frame to be a deadly complementary weapon.

Speedy receivers are a great tool to stretch out the defense, pulling safeties away and opening space underneath. That's where the likes of Lamb and the others can make plays in the short and intermediate area.

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Another underrated part of Turpin's game will spread out the front seven. That's by continuing to be a threat as a rushing and screen option. That will open space for the running backs to run downhill behind the beefed-up offensive line.

With the All-Pro returner's contract expiring, owner Jerry Jones made it a priority to retain the speedster, and did so with a three-year, $18 million deal. That's not a contract given to one that will only return kicks. It's a statement on paper and to everyone on the coaching staff of the expectations placed on the now 28-year-old.

While Turpin alone will not fill the role of a WR2, he will play a part in filling that void. That may be as a receiver, rusher, or a prop to keep the defense on edge. He has the speed to stress and stretch a defense, and surreal skills as a ballcarrier to turn any carry into a big play.

By no means is he perfect, or even a preferred top option at the moment, but KaVontae Turpin is the speedy receiver the team has needed and been looking for. It's about time the team uses him to his strengths and as a more regular part of the offense.

That doesn't mean the Cowboys can't add a WR2-caliber player, but rather that they don't need to. A new offense with an intention to run and play bully ball rather than forcing passing plays will take up enough snaps and change the dynamic of the unit.

What would have been the impact of a No. 2 wideout in the 2024 offense is not equivalent to that of the 2025 offense under Brian Schottenheimer.