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Dallas Cowboys: 3 Players primed to break out in 2018

By Joel W. Cade

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 12: Taco Charlton #97 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates his sack of quaterback Sean Mannion #13 of the Los Angeles Rams during the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 12: Taco Charlton #97 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates his sack of quaterback Sean Mannion #13 of the Los Angeles Rams during the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 08: Tavon Austin #11 of the Los Angeles Rams eludes Shaquill Griffin #26 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of a game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 8, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 08: Tavon Austin #11 of the Los Angeles Rams eludes Shaquill Griffin #26 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of a game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 8, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Tavon Austin plays in space

The wide receiver room has been a mystery to the Dallas Cowboys. Last season, Cowboys wide receivers struggled to get open. They were often covered. This generated a lot of contested catches. Given Dak Prescott’s ball placement struggles, toward the end of the season the Cowboys experimented with run-pass-options as a means of getting receivers open in space.

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Enter Tavon Austin. Austin was acquired by sending the No. 192 overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams. Acquiring veteran players with late round picks is an undervalued avenue that the Cowboys exploited perfectly. Austin arrives after years of the Rams struggling to figure out how to utilize his talents. After failing to figure out the Tavon Austin Code, the Rams shipped him to Dallas.

Austin could work out wonderfully in a type of running back/wide receiver hybrid role. Such a move to a hybrid position would signal the integrating of run-pass-options into the offense. If the Cowboys truly need to use RPOs, then Austin is the perfect man for the job.

He excels in space and forcing missed tackles. He could be used much in the same way Kansas City uses Tyreek Hill. Austin would be put in positions to get the ball in open space. From there it would be up to him to make plays.

If the Cowboys use Austin in this manner, they will solve the Tavon Austin Code. In doing so, they will bring a lot of offensive excitement to The Metroplex.

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