The Cowboys took a blow in their WR depth after James Washington fractured his foot on the first day of padded training camp. He is set for surgery and ruled out 6-10 weeks.
Dallas’ No. 2 receiver Michael Gallup was placed on the PUP list to begin camp, leaving the Cowboys with shallow depth in the wide receiver department. Gallup is expected to miss Week 1, although he is doing well in rehab. If the Cowboys’ No. 2 WR starts the 2022 season on the PUP, he will miss the first four games.
With Washington’s injury, should Dallas panic over their lack of depth in the wide receiver position?
Dallas’ WR Depth to Begin Camp
The Cowboys traded Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns to clear cap space for the team moving forward. Cooper’s departure bumps 2020 first-round pick, CeeDee Lamb, to No.1 wide receiver. Michael Gallup re-signed with Dallas in the offseason and will be the No. 2 WR when he returns from his knee injury. The Cowboys lost Cedric Wilson in free agency, who signed a three-year deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Dallas signed Washington to a 1-year deal in March and drafted Jalen Tolbert in the third round. Noah Brown is the only wide receiver with any NFL game experience. The Cowboys signed USFL MVP KaVontae Turpin just before the start of training camp. He seeks to make his first NFL roster since going undrafted in 2019. Five other rookies and 2021 fifth-round draft choice Simi Fehoko wrap up the WR depth chart.
The depth chart lacks NFL experience and now suffers two losses. Despite possessing a solid quarterback in a great offensive system, Dallas should be worried about their current wide receiver situation.
The Cowboys will be without WR James Washington for 6-10 weeks because of a fractured right foot suffered Monday, according to multiple sources. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday in Dallas.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 1, 2022
The Cowboys’ Current Situation on WR Depth
At this point, it is Lamb or bust on the depth chart. Losing Cooper and Wilson hits the Cowboys with a harder punch with the two injuries.
Brown, who specializes in blocking, gets the majority of his playing time on rush plays. This leaves Tolbert as the best option to line up with Lamb.
Before camp kicked off, Jon Machota of the Athletic predicted Tolbert to start as the second wide receiver. In his final year at South Alabama, he caught 82 passes for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns. Tolbert set numerous school records, including career receptions (178), yards (3,140), touchdown receptions (22), and 100-yard games (10).
NFL experts tabbed Tolbert as the “sleeper” pick in the NFL Draft that included a heavy load of receiving prospects. The rookie looks sharp in training camp so far. Can Tolbert carry the extra pressure on his shoulders? Dallas likes what they see from their third-rounder and love his work ethic and high potential. Tolbert impressed Cowboys QB Dak Prescott in their offseason workouts in Miami.
The door opens more for Tolbert to slide up in the depth chart, but should Dallas add a veteran receiver?
What Dallas Should Do Moving Forward
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The Cowboys should explore the free agent market to add a wide receiver. They need a pass catcher that has NFL experience. With $22 million in their cap, Dallas should sign a veteran to a short-term deal.
Odell Beckham Jr., Cole Beasley, and Emmanuel Sanders are notable names that remain available. The absence of Gallup and Washington hinders experience and leadership for the young receivers. The Cowboys need to sign a veteran and add to their WR depth.
The Cowboys play their first preseason game against the Denver Broncos on August 13.
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