It’s an early offseason for the Dallas Cowboys, who missed the playoffs for the first time in four years after going 7-10 during the 2024 NFL regular season.
Owner/general manager Jerry Jones will have a lot of work to do this offseason if he wants to rework the Cowboys into Super Bowl contenders. There are several pressing needs across the roster that must be addressed in the coming months, especially when it pertains to the wide receiver room.
Although finding impactful wideouts can be difficult, the Cowboys have the perfect opportunity to target two playmakers following the latest news coming out of the AFC South.
Cowboys Should Target Treylon Burks, Calvin Ridley After Titans Fire GM
On Tuesday, the Tennessee Titans announced that they have fired general manager Ran Carthon. With a new management group potentially wanting to shake up the roster, the Cowboys shouldn’t waste time in calling the Titans about wide receivers Treylon Burks and Calvin Ridley.
Burks, 24, is a once-promising WR prospect who desperately needs a change in scenery.
Although the former 2022 first-rounder oozed potential ahead of his NFL career, he’s struggled to reach his ceiling because of a nagging injury history. Burks has only played in 27 games throughout the last three seasons, which includes being limited to five appearances in 2024.
If he remains healthy, Burks could unlock his potential alongside Dak Prescott. The Cowboys’ franchise QB has one of the best arms in the NFL and is capable of taking advantage of the 6-foot-2, 225-pound receiver’s frame.
Targeting Burks also works with Jones’ hesitance to break the bank in the offseason. The former Arkansas product carries a digestable $4.5 million cap hit for the 2025 season and the fact that he’s still on his rookie contract means his fifth-year option is still available for the 2026 year.
The Cowboys are projected to only have about $15.1 million in cap space this offseason, per Spotrac. If that changes and Jones frees up space, the team could also make a play for Ridley and his $28 million cap hit, as well.
With Brandin Cooks set to hit free agency, Ridley could be the perfect WR2 to play adjacent to CeeDee Lamb. The ex-Alabama playmaker has amassed 388 receptions for 5,375 yards and 40 TDs in 83 career games and just accumulated another impressive 64-1,017-4 stat line with the Titans in 2024.
Although acquiring him won’t be easy, Ridley’s well worth the effort considering how he’s hit the 1,000-yard mark in three of his last four campaigns. That’s the type of difference-maker the Cowboys need after Lamb and Jalen Tolbert were the only players to surpass the 500-yard mark this season.
Ridley and Burks are both talented in their respective rights, meaning NFL teams could soon blow up the Titans’ phone if either is remotely available. If that’s the case, the Cowboys cannot waste any time in a potential pursuit.
