Ranking five options Cowboys could pursue at WR before Week 1: Pro Bowl vets in free agency, youth via trade

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys showed plenty of discipline in the 2025 NFL Draft, clearly choosing the best player available instead of reaching for needs, something that plagued each of their previous two draft classes.

While that resulted in Dallas reinforcing itself on both sides of the line of scrimmage, at the running back position and on defense, the Cowboys were unable to beef up their wide receiver room behind All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. Nine selections came and went without a wide receiver chosen. 

However, that doesn’t mean the Cowboys aren’t still hunting for another piece at the position, something both owner and general Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated Saturday evening after the entire draft concluded. 

“The train has not left the station if improvement is needed on what we have on campus,” Jerry Jones said on Saturday. … “Our No. 114 pick was traded to Carolina for Jonathan Mingo. … My point is … we don’t have to be through at receiver in any way.”  

“Yeah, I’m comfortable,” Schottenheimer said Saturday when asked by CBS Sports about his wide receiver group. “I think we talked about this last night. We’ve got a really good group of young receivers, and we’re excited to see them take the next step. Again, we just talked about [KaVontae] Turp, right? He is maybe not as young as the other guys: the [Ryan] Flournoy’s, the Jalen Brook’s, JT [Jalen Tolbert], [Jonathan] Mingo. We’ve got guys with skills. Through this new scheme that we’re putting in, and the new influence of [wide receivers coach] Junior Adams coming in and watching the development. Even  just seeing the excitement that CeeDee [Lamb] has for some of these guys and the traits that they have. But at the end of  the day, we’re not done. That’s not just at the receiver position. We’re committed to always looking for more competition and more players at every spot. But again, we’re excited about these young guys and excited for them to take the next step.”

Since both Jones and Schottenheimer clearly articulated they’re looking to beef up their wide receiver group, here is a look at five potential options they could acquire through either free agency or a trade. 

Longtime, reliable Cincinnati Bengals slot wide receiver Tyler Boyd and his 2024 season were a casualty of the Tennessee Titans quarterback carousel between Will Levis and Mason Rudolph. His 39 catches and 390 yards receiving were both his lowest since 2017, and he didn’t catch a touchdown. However, he could still have some gas left in his tank in a more stable offensive ecosystem. Catching passes from Prescott and lining up alongside Lamb could provide just that. 

The five-time Pro Bowler had a career-low 547 yards receiving in 2024 amid a rotating cast of quarterbacks with the Cleveland Browns, and Cooper was unable to get on the same page with Josh Allen and the Bills’ playbook in Buffalo after being acquired in a midseason trade. However just one season earlier in 2023, Cooper produced career highs in yards receiving (1,250) and yards per reception (17.9) while catching passes from a 38-year-old Joe Flacco. Even though he’ll be 31 years old in the 2025 season, Cooper could certainly rekindle his connection with Prescott while playing second fiddle to Lamb, who he once mentored. The likelihood of this reunion many not be high after Jerry Jones traded him for pennies to the Cleveland Browns two years into five-year, $100 million contract, but the longer the offseason rolls on, perhaps bygones could become bygones. 

Even though he’s 33 years old, the six-time Pro Bowler can still move a little bit. Allen hauled in 70 passes for 744 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in a chaotic 2024 campaign with the Chicago Bears that included the in-season firings of both offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus, who is now Dallas’ defensive coordinator. Allen might not have the juice he once did in his prime with the Chargers, his career-low 49.6 receiving-yards-per-game average indicates that, but he’s a big body (6-2, 211 pounds) who is a route technician and savvy in the red zone. The Cowboys could benefit from having his skill set and him pushing Jalen Tolbert to the No. 3 wide receiver spot.  

George Pickens tossed some fuel on the fire that he could potentially be traded after the Steelers traded for and extended Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf after posting a picture of himself standing with Las Vegas Raiders part owner Tom Brady this offseason. ESPN even reported Dallas had discussion with an AFC North team about veteran receiver in the lead up to the draft, but a deal was unable to be made. Pickens, 24, would be the type of field stretcher Dallas could use opposite Lamb with 12 catches of 30 or more yards in 2024, the second-most in a season since 2006 when that stat first was tracked. Dallas also wouldn’t have to rely on Pickens as its WR1 with Lamb on board, plus Prescott is a steady leader in the locker room. Pickens to Dallas could make some sense. 

Jameson Williams, 24, could very well be on the move with Detroit strapped for cap room in 2026 after handing out top dollar deals to quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell and others. Williams’ 17.3 yards per reception in 2024 ranked as the second-best in the NFL behind only Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce’s 22.3. He could also come at a potential discount when factoring in some of his legal issues he’s faced in just three seasons in the league. Detroit selected two wide receivers in the 2025 draft: Arkansas’ Isaac TeSlaa (70th overall in the third round) and Georgia’s Dominic Lovett (244th overall in the seventh round).