Dallas Cowboys to feature CeeDee Lamb, shop for veteran, allow rookie WRs to develop

While the Dallas Cowboys are publicly expressing having no pressing concerns regarding the wide receiver position after James Washington suffered a fractured foot that will sideline him for up to 10 weeks, there is nuance in that point of view.

Per vice president Stephen Jones, the team was already surveying the market for veteran wide receiver help even before Washington’s injury.

That mindset hasn’t changed and the Cowboys could add a veteran at any time before the start of the season if the right one was available via a trade, free agency or the waiver wire.

As for now, the Cowboys are not crying in their milk about their questions at receiver because of the presence of CeeDee Lamb, who elevated to the No. 1 spot following the trade of Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in March.

The team is also excited about letting some of the young receivers — like rookie third round pick Jalen Tolbert and surprising undrafted rookie free agent Dennis Houston — continue to develop in training camp.

But Lamb is the linchpin.

He was drafted in the first round in 2020 and given the legacy No. 88 jersey because of his potential as a No. 1 wide receiver.

The Cowboys are going to give him the opportunity to shine as the featured receiver in 2022 out of will and out of necessity.

“I don’t think it’s a shock that he’s probably going to get a lot of targets,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said. “I think he’s just coming into his own right now. This is his third year, taking ownership of it, playing all over the field. CeeDee is ready.

“He’s a really, really talented receiver and I think naturally he’s going to get a lot of targets. We got to utilize him, put him in different positions. I think that stuff will naturally play itself out. I don’t think that’s much of a hidden thing.”

Lamb, who has 153 receptions for 2,037 yards and 11 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl appearance in his first two seasons, actually led the Cowboys with 120 targets for 79 catches for 1,102 yards.

All those numbers should increase in 2022, as quarterback Dak Prescott says Lamb is “that dude” for the Cowboys.

“CeeDee is a guy. And he’s a guy that wants the ball, expects the ball,” Prescott said. “When one guy is on him he’s not covered in his head. We’ll feature him. Some plays will be designed to get it to him but in a case where everybody is one on one across the board, yeah, he’s our guy to go to.

“I think when you’ve got a guy like CeeDee that you’re comfortable with, that you know his body language, you know what he’s thinking. It feels good. It’s exciting. Excited for him. Excited for him taking on this role and him wanting the ball. He’s a big-time player and he always wants it.”

Lamb has prepared for the new role and increased attention by adding weight in the offseason. The Cowboys plan to line him up all over the field — outside, in the slot and out of the backfield while also using motion to free him from expected double teams.

“I feel like I’m going to affect the game regardless,” Lamb said. “And with that being said, me being No. 1, the attention is going to be on me and I’m kind of prepared for it. It doesn’t change anything really for my game. Just going to go make a play.”

There is an understanding that the receiver corps is not as deep and not as proven as it was a year ago becaus of the losses of Cooper and of Cedrick Wilson to the Miami Dolphins in free agency and the loss of Michael Gallup for the first month of the season with a torn ACL.

And that was before the injury to Washington, a player on a make-good, free-agent contract who only had 24 catches in 2021 before being let go by the Pittsburgh Steelers after four disappointing seasons.

Prescott refuses to look at what the Cowboys don’t have. He focused on the opportunities.

“You’re never going to catch me looking at anything in my life as a step back,” Prescott said. “You’ve got an opportunity to move forward, you’ve got an opportunity to grow. If you don’t do that, you’re in trouble and you’ve already lost to begin with. I just know, the young guys that we’ve got, the guys that we already have are going to step in and take on bigger roles.”

The list of young guys includes Houston, Tolbert, Simi Fehoko, T.J. Vasher as well as veteran special teams ace Noah Brown, who is having the best camp of his six-year career.

Tolbert and Houston stand out the most as the two rookies are getting work with the first-team offense.

“A lot of young guys have stepped up. Just to say one would be cheating the other,” Prescott said. “But obviously Dennis Houston and Tolbert, just to start off on who have been in there and taken more reps..”

There were natural expectations for Tolbert as a targeted third-round pick who Prescott famously called before the 2022 NFL Draft.

Houston joined the team as a relative unknown from Western Illinois. He actually began his career at Houston Baptist after being lightly recruited out of high school in San Antonio.

Houston made an impression as soon as he showed up and has not taken a step back.

“When you break the huddle he’s lining up in the right spot, no matter what position he’s in,” Prescott said. “This goes way back to the spring, running the routes at the right depth every time he’s firing off the ball. He’s giving good looks. He’s where I expect him to be on each and every play and he’s coming back and asking about things, communicating about things.

“He’s just a tough guy, very resilient. When you get that response from a young guy like that, not making excuses and trying to help the team in any way that he can, it makes you excited.”