Dallas Cowboys: Can Cole Beasley repeat career year?
Cole Beasley was a workhorse and stud for the Dallas Cowboys a season ago, but can he repeat his efforts in 2017?
Cole Beasley didn’t need a 100-plus yard game last season or double-digit touchdowns to make his mark on the Dallas Cowboys offense in 2016. What the slot receiver did was give then-rookie quarterback Dak Prescott an extra reliable target. Additionally, he stepped up when the team had suffered injuries at wide receiver, en route to a career season.
The question for Beasley this season is not if he can be successful and reliable for the franchise, but can he repeat or even exceed his play from last season as this is also the the next-to-final year of his contract before possibly becoming a free agent.
Beasley’s career season consisted of 75 receptions for 833 yards and five touchdowns, though his final touchdown of the season came in Week 11 on Nov. 20 against the Baltimore Ravens. Even with the lack of touchdowns late in the year, Beasley still collected four games of at least four receptions from Week 12-17.
Also during the 2016 season from Weeks 9-12, Beasley compiled four-straight games of at least six receptions, with a six-reception game coming in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
As for Beasley being a free agent after the 2018 season, the Cowboys drafted a “clone” of the wide receiver this past April when they selected Ryan Switzer in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. The Cowboys might have selected Beasley’s potential replacement if the two parties don’t work out a deal.
As far as Beasley’s future contract is concern, a potential deal has drawn comparison to Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots. Todd Archer of ESPN.com wrote the following about the situation:
"“There is a difference between Edelman and Beasley. Edelman was set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Beasley is signed through 2018. But the Cowboys have shown a willingness in the past to extend contracts of core players with two or more years remaining on their deals.”"
In the grand scheme of the franchise, the Cowboys should consider keeping Beasley on the roster for an extended period of time, with or without Switzer, if he can repeat what he did last season and especially if he exceeds it. The offense currently is about keeping Prescott as comfortable as possible, and if Beasley is one of those players the quarterback looks to in tough situations, that is a valuable asset to have for a franchise quarterback.
Next: NFL 2017: 20 RBs with best chances at 2,000 yards
Beasley is very capable of having another career year. Even if his numbers aren’t equal to the 2016 season, Beasley can still do a lot of small things and the dirty work to help Prescott and the offense run like a well-oiled machine like they did most of last season.