OXNARD, Calif. - The biggest acquisition for Dak Prescott this offseason was an assistant coach.
Unless first-year wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal can turn water into beer, which if he can I will marry him, he can't be expected to turn Allen Hurns or Terrance Williams into Antonio Brown or Julio Jones.
The high end for a position coach is that he may be able to dramatically affect no more than about one guy per team per season.
Thus far into training camp, the receiving corps for the Dallas Cowboys looks like what we all expected: A lot of No. 2 {s and No. 3s. When The Little Rapper That Could, Cole Beasley, is your go-to wide receiver, and he was so easily taken away last season, you've got concerns.
There is no Fantasy Football pick among your Dallas Cowboys wide receivers.
Don't panic. Not yet. Have that button, however, polished up and ready to crush.
The "Moneyball" plan of going with strength in numbers at the position rather than relying on overwhelming talent will work, as long as Dak can get them the ball on time and in a position where only they can catch it.
If this sounds like the New England way, you would be correct.
The Dallas Cowboys passing game ranked 26th in the NFL last season, and that was with Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.
Cowboys coaches readily admit they did not handle the play calling well in 2017 when offensive tackle Tyron Smith was out, and Ezekiel Elliott served his six-game suspension. They were inconsistent, a bit reactionary, and not stable.
Dez Bryant is gone, never to return, and even with some new wide receivers on the roster, every single one of their wide outs comes with a worrisome asterisk.
Enjoy ... and have a barf bag.
1. Cole Beasley. Dak said that's his guy, and in his rookie year he continually used him to beat defenses. He's a wonderful slot receiver who can catch anything.
Asterisk: In Week 2 in Denver in '17, the Broncos took him away and the passing game suffered for the rest of the season as a result. Beasley's catches went from 75 in '16 to 36 in '17.
2. Allen Hurns: The free agent signee spent the first four years of his career in Jacksonville. In '15, he had more than 1,000 yards receiving. So far, he's your best "wide out" on this team.
Asterisk: Jacksonville didn't want to keep him, and he has had no more than 39 catches in either of the last two years.
3. Tavon Austin. The Cowboys are raving about the former top 10 pick from West Virginia whom they acquired in April. When right, he can be used virtually anywhere and is a major problem in space.
"He has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said.
That's great. Can he play?
Asterisk: Why did the Rams dump Austin for a sixth round pick?
4. Terrance Williams. When right with the world, he's a nice No. 2 who has seen his ceiling. His former quarterback, Tony Romo, routinely praised him.
Asterisk: He's Terrance Williams.
5. Michael Gallup: The third round pick from Colorado State has looked impressive so far in camp, and he caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Dak in the first preseason game. Gallup posted big numbers in college, including a 100-catch season as a senior.
Asterisk: He's a rookie. And he's a rookie.
6. Deonte Thompson: The free agent signee has been on three teams since he entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He's a maybe to make the team.
Asterisk: Where to begin?
7. Lance Lenoir. On the practice squad as a rookie in 2017, he has been a pleasant surprise in this training camp. He can play special teams, which makes him attractive for a roster spot.
Asterisk: He was not drafted. He was active in 2017 for Week 17. All of these things happen for a reason.
These are Dak's choices at wide receiver.
Coach Lal, coach 'em up.
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