Cowboys wide receiver trio aiming for the stars with 2020 goals

The Dallas Cowboys’ top three wide receivers are exuding confidence about 2020.

Wide receiver was most certainly not the biggest need of the Dallas Cowboys in this year’s NFL Draft. Cornerback, safety, tight end or even edge rusher would’ve all filled more immediate holes. But when former Oklahoma Sooner CeeDee Lamb made it to the No. 17 overall pick and Jerry Jones‘ club was on the clock, the opportunity was too great to pass up.

Now Lamb joins an offense with extremely high hopes for the 2020 season. Dallas re-signed wide receiver Amari Cooper to stay with up-and-comer Michael Gallup, both of whom topped 1,100 yards receiving last year. And quarterback Dak Prescott, likely freed by the change at head coach from Jason Garrett to Mike McCarthy, could be primed for a monster year trying to prove himself while playing on the franchise tag.

The big question is what Lamb will do as a part of this group. But if you ask his new teammates, the latest to wear the Cowboys’ vaunted No. 88 jersey is going to fit right in as a top-tier pass-catcher in the league. Talking to reporters at training camp, Cooper had this to say about the expectations for the group this season.

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That’s lofty goals for the trio of pass-catchers. At the same time, though, it might not actually be that far out of reach. If Lamb is as productive in the NFL as it seems he should be, then all three players hitting their mark is in play.

Three 1,000-yard receivers is in play for the Cowboys this season.

Cooper led the Cowboys with 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Gallup was right behind him with 66 catches for 1,107 yards and six scores. Quietly, though, now-departed veteran Randall Cobb was third on the team in yards as he mustered up 55 receptions for 828 yards.

Assuming that Lamb slots into the role vacated by Cobb, that’s roughly 800 yards right there that the rookie could grab. But there are factors that could push that number, in addition to Cooper and Gallup’s production, higher.

McCarthy and Kellen Moore taking over the offense should allow for more consistent success in the passing game. Furthermore, Lamb is a more dynamic player at this point than Cobb. The rookie offers more explosive run-after-catch ability and is simply the younger asset with more juice in his game overall. Furthermore, the departure of Jason Witten in free agency leaves 63 catches and 83 targets from last year up for grabs.

If Lamb can do more with the targets that he’s taking over from Cobb and also nab some of the opportunities vacated by Witten, having a third 1,000-yard receiver is very much in the cards for the Cowboys. But even if Cooper, Gallup and Lamb don’t all three eclipse that mark, the fact that it’s a viable conversation speaks to just how potent this offense might be in the 2020 season.