Even with Stefon Diggs signing a massive deal to join the New England Patriots on Tuesday, there does remain quite a few free agent receivers on the market.
There was no way the Cowboys were going to spend that kind of money on Diggs. Despite many in the fanbase wanting to see the Diggs brothers on the roster.
But among the receivers still looking for new teams, is there any particular one Dallas might make a move for?
Perhaps the bigger question is this: Should they even make a move on any of them until after the draft is at all?
The Top 5 Free Agents Left
Here are the receivers currently being considered as the top five left at the position.
- Amari Cooper
- Diontae Johnson
- Keenan Allen
- Tyler Lockett
- Elijah Moore
Cooper spent two and a half years in Cleveland before playing the final eight games of last year in Buffalo.
He was rock solid in 2022 and 2023. In 32 total games, Cooper had 2,410 yards on 150 catches and 14 touchdowns during that timeframe.
His production dropped off dramatically in 2024.
In six starts with the Browns, he had 250 yards and two touchdowns on 24 receptions. In eight games in Buffalo, he added 297 yards and two touchdowns on just 20 receptions.
Johnson had five solid years in Pittsburgh: 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns on 391 catches over that span from 2019-2023.
But he ended up playing for three different teams in 2024 – Carolina, Baltimore, and Houston. For the year, he had just 375 yards and three touchdowns on 30 catches.
Allen will be looking to play in his 13th season.
He began his career with the Chargers, going to the Bears in 2024. He finished with 744 yards and seven touchdowns on 70 catches in Chicago with a rookie quarterback to boot.
Lockett played all 10 of his years up in Seattle and had his worst year statistically since the 2017 season last year with just 600 yards and two touchdowns on 49 catches.
Moore is the youngest of the group. He played his first two years with the Jets and the last two with the Browns.
He is averaging 550 yards and two touchdowns on 40 catches a season so far.
Dallas’ Interest?
Were Cooper to return, it would be his second go-around in Dallas.
He was the last “big swing” trade Jerry Jones has made during a season. Back in 2018, the Cowboys got Cooper from the Raiders and got three-and-a-half years from him.
Over that span of 56 games – the most he’s played for any of the four teams he’s been on – he had 3,893 yards and 27 touchdowns on 292 catches.
But his parting with Dallas was not a nice one, with Jones trading Cooper to Cleveland for next to nothing in return while re-signing an injured Michael Gallup in a move that also backfired.
It seems unlikely Cooper would willingly come back to Dallas under its current ownership.
Johnson is becoming too much of a head case and Jones is probably tired of dealing with those.
Allen, like Diggs, will probably be too costly.
Lockett in all likelihood will rejoin Geno Smith and Pete Carroll in Las Vegas before the summer is out. That leaves Moore.
If Dallas does pursue him, it would probably only be after the draft and depending on if they land a high-grade receiver next month in Green Bay.
The Wild Card
Jerry Jones has always been fascinated by Odell Beckham. Especially since that unbelievable one-handed catch he made against the Cowboys while with the Giants.
However, Beckham’s production hasn’t been good at all in this decade, even when he’s able to get on the field.
The former LSU standout played in just nine games in Miami last year and had nine catches for 55 yards.
A Beckham signing would come very late, and would be a sign of desperation at The Star. It’s safe to say the odds are against it happening.
Final prediction: Draft, Sign, Or Trade?
There are a host of other receivers Dallas could sign in free agency after the draft.
It seems more likely that the Cowboys will try to draft a receiver in the first two days. If they don’t, then they can return to free agency and see what the best available option is.
Still, a receiver corps of CeeDee Lamb, Diggs, and a stud rookie? That would have been a sight to see.
