On Monday, Cowboys WR James Washington suffered a foot injury that put him out of work for 6-10 weeks. This loss is massive. The team will likely be without Micheal Gallup for at least the first few games of the regular season. With Washington going down, the team can look at free agency for some veteran help. They could also continue the trend of replacing a proven veteran with some youth.
Wide Receivers Currently On Roster
Rookie Jalen Tolbert is part of the youth movement. He was poised to have a significant role before the Washington injury. Guys like newly signed KeVontae Turpin and Simi Fehoko are now put in a position to be critical contributors early in the season. Although I like Fehoko, and I feel that he has the potential to be productive… I think un-drafted Texas Tech product TJ Vasher has a real chance to be a serious weapon for the Cowboys.
Vasher has been one of the standouts from training camp, and there is considerable buzz about what he can be this year. Vasher’s skill set is exciting. His size at 6’6″ opens up an element the Cowboys haven’t had in a long time. His ability to go up and catch the ball over defenders was on full display at Cowboys camp, and whether or not James Washington and Michael Gallup are on the field, the team doesn’t have a WR with that sort of ability. Vasher has good hands and moves well for a guy his size, but he doesn’t get much separation. He also had trouble in college with corners jamming him upon his release.
Overall, Vasher is a dominant athlete at 6’6″. He’s virtually unstoppable on contested catches. If the team opts to stay in-house to replace Washington, TJ Vasher would undoubtedly be my pick. His performance in the preseason will go a long way to seeing if his training camp brilliance is more than just an aberration.
Who Could The Cowboys Target In Free Agency?
If the team decides to go into free agency to replace Washington, they will likely choose from a few guys. Will Fuller, Cole Beasley, and TY Hilton are all players I could see the Cowboys signing, but there’s one guy, in particular, I would like to see added to the roster. TY Hilton and Will Fuller have had trouble staying on the field, but TY is older and, at this point, is too far over the hill to be a reliable WR. Fuller is the best available WR skill-wise sans Odell, but he is in year six and hasn’t played an entire season yet.
I’ve also seen a lot of fans clamoring to get Odell, and although I like the idea, he probably won’t be back till November, so that doesn’t solve the current injury problem. Cole Beasley would be the most reliable option to fill in for Washington, and I think it’s where the team should go. Beasley’s asking price is a little much, but his rapport with Dak Prescott shouldn’t be undervalued. He also stated that he was open to a reunion. Beasley is 33 and not the same player he was in his prime, but he can be a beneficial option in the slot even when the receiving core is fully healthy.
In Conclusion:
This James Washington injury has put the Cowboys in a difficult spot, especially with Washington being new and unable to build chemistry with Dak. But he should be back early in the season along with Gallup, and I think this will still be a good passing attack. I believe fans overreact to the thin depth chart at the WR position; it’ll be a non-issue for most of the year.
