'I don't think that's going to happen' – Cowboys insider shares key insight on team's WR problem while Amari Cooper rumors emerge
The biggest question surrounding the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 NFL season is more than obvious. What is the wide receiver room going to look like?Beyond CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys have no proven wide receivers to line up and expect to make an impact Week 1. Right now, the team's best in-roster bets would […]
The biggest question surrounding the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 NFL season is more than obvious. What is the wide receiver room going to look like?
Beyond CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys have no proven wide receivers to line up and expect to make an impact Week 1. Right now, the team's best in-roster bets would be Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert, and Ryan Flournoy. Though different degrees of upside could be there for each, it's difficult to be confident about any of them as WR2 to start the year.
Fortunately, the Cowboys feel the same way according to insider Nick Harris from Forth Worth Star-Telegram. Harris shared a couple of nuggets on the wide receiver situation on a Wednesday radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan.
Harris confirmed former Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan was the Cowboys' top target going into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft but with him going to the Carolina Panthers at 8th, that didn't happen. Most intriguing was Harris' answer when asked about the possibility of Dallas going into the season without adding a significant contributor to the position.
"I don't think that's going to happen," Harris said. "At least as far as the people who are pushing behind the doors for this to get addressed, for them get a No. 2 wide receiver. My question is does it happen before OTAs? Does it happen before mandatory minicamp in early June?"
Harris' reporting is a promising sign to Cowboys fans worried about the state of the team's wide receiver situation. A player is expected to be added to the room be it through free agency or through a trade. The question is when, as Harris points out. An even more important question of course, is who will it be?
Amari Cooper is the Cowboys' fallback option
Harris, who also reported interest is building within the Cowboys organization to reunite with veteran Amari Cooper, suggested something crucial regarding the free agent target: He's not at the top of the front office's wishlist.
"There are plenty of options on the table, whether it's a George Pickens or a Rashod Bateman, we talk about those as far as trade targets, there are trade targets around the league and I think that's what Dallas is really trying to sort through at the moment," Harris said. "But if they can't I think Amari Cooper is their safe fallback option."
Considering Cooper is the top free agent available at wide receiver, Harris' comments are very clear: The Cowboys prefer to solve the problem through a trade over reuniting with Cooper. A key factor there—going by the mentioned Pickens and Bateman targets—could be age. Pickens is 24 years old, while Bateman beats him by one year at 25. Investing draft capital on them could be more viable should the front office want to extend them after the 2025 season.
In contrast, Cooper is going to be 31 years old when the season starts and injuries have played a role in his career, particularly late in the year.
Whoever it ends up being, Cowboys fans can expect something to be done about the team's lack of a weapon to complement CeeDee Lamb. It better happen soon.
