Cincinnati Bengals v Dallas Cowboys / Sam Hodde/GettyImages
The Dallas Cowboys do not have any firepower at the wide receiver position outside of CeeDee Lamb. It’s gotten to the point where Cowboys fans only want Cooper Rush to throw to Lamb and tight end Jake Ferguson.
Lamb and Ferguson are the only dynamic pass-catchers on the roster. While Brandin Cooks has two touchdowns in as many games since coming off injured reserve, he isn’t the deep threat he was in his prime and struggles creating separation on intermediate routes.
The fan base has also seen enough of Jalen Tolbert. The former third-round pick caught the game-winning touchdown against the Steelers and has come up with big catches here and there, but the consistency is not where it needs to be. His 58.6 receiving grade is 90th among 98 qualified receivers, per PFF.
At this point, the Cowboys should have an eye on 2025. Less Tolbert and more Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flouroy would be ideal. Additionally, the front office should be scouring the waiver wire for potential depth options for next year.
One has suddenly fallen into their laps thanks to an AFC team.
Cowboys should claim wide receiver K.J. Osborn off waivers
The New England Patriots and K.J. Osborn mutually agreed to part ways on Tuesday. Osborn was a healthy scratch in four of the last five games before his release. The 27-year-old had expressed frustration with his role and now has the opportunity to latch on with another team for the final four weeks.
Osborn signed a one-year, $4 million contract in March with the hope of stepping into a prominent role in a young WR room. With the Patriots going young at the position and handing the keys of the offense to No. 2 overall pick Drake Maye mid-season, Osborn found himself on the outskirts of the offense.
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Osborn knows he has more to contribute. A fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020, Osborn established himself as a consistent third option with Minnesota. He broke out in 2021 with 50 catches for 655 yards and seven TDs and proved that wasn’t a mirage by catching 108 passes for 1,190 yards and eight scores over the next two seasons.
The fifth-year pro has reliable hands and is willing to do the dirty work as a blocker. He’s an adequate depth option with upside.
Cooks won’t be back in 2025 and it stands to reason Jalen Tolbert will follow Cooks out the door. Mingo and Flournoy will be on the roster next year, but neither player should be any higher than fourth on the depth chart going into the offseason. Assuming Dallas finds Lamb’s sidekick in the draft or free agency, Osborn could potentially slot into the WR3 role.
That obviously hinges on Osborn showing something in the final four games, but it’s worth a shot. The former Miami Hurricane is better than any WR on the roster not named CeeDee Lamb.
