COWBOYS
Cowboys WR depth chart: Wide receivers at training camp
Though the Cowboys have yet to come to a deal on a contract extension with CeeDee Lamb, he remains their No. 1 WR. How does the depth chart look behind him?
The Dallas Cowboys have an ace with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who broke records and led the league in multiple categories last season. However, they’ve yet to sign him to a contract extension as he enters the last year of his current deal. Lamb is seeking a much bigger paycheck (rightly so) and is holding out on practices with the Cowboys until he gets that.
They’ve already lost Michael Gallup, who’s gone to the Las Vegas Raiders, and the guys behind Lamb so far have been average. The Cowboys did virtually nothing to replace Gallup, making no big moves in free agency and drafting only Ryan Flourney in the sixth round. They’ll be relying on their younger receivers to step up this season. But without Lamb, this is not the same Dallas offense.
Here’s how the depth chart looks at the wide receiver position in 2024 for the Cowboys as they get ready to head to training camp next week.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver depth chart 2024
| Starter | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|
| CeeDee Lamb (WR1) | Jalen Brooks | Racey McMath | David Durden |
| Brandin Cooks (WR2) | KaVontae Turpin | Jalen Moreno-Cropper | Cam Johnson |
| Jalen Tolbert (WR3) | Ryan Flournoy | Tyron Billy-Johnson | Corey Crooms Jr. |
CeeDee Lamb
Lamb was absolutely outstanding in 2023, with a league-high 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns by the end of the regular season. He broke former Cowboys legend Michael Irvin’s long-standing (28 years) record for receptions and receiving yards, as well as most games with 11+ receptions and most consecutive games with 10+ receptions and 150+ receiving yards.
At this point, Lamb doesn’t need to prove anything. He’s one of the best receivers in the league and no question the Cowboys WR1. The only question now is why the hell the Cowboys aren’t acting like they know that.
Brandin Cooks
Cooks is the WR2, but in reality he’s likely to be the third-targeted receiver, with the second more likely to be tight end Jake Ferguson. Still, Cooks should play a key role in the offense this year. Last season, he had 54 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns. Another thing to keep in mind is that he’s turning 31 this year so it’s possible age could take its toll.
Jalen Tolbert
Here’s where Dallas’ young talent comes in. Tolbert was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and made a huge leap from his rookie season to his second season. Still, with Lamb, Gallup, Cooks, and Ferguson taking opportunities for targets ahead of him, Tolbert ended the season with just 22 receptions, 268 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. For comparison, though, he had just two receptions in his rookie season. If he can make another big jump in 2024, he could prove he deserves to be the trusted WR3.
Jalen Brooks
Brooks is entering his second season in the league, but was inactive for 11 games and had just six targets last year. He did do well with those few chances, though, catching all of them and turning them into 64 yards. With more opportunities should come more production out of the young receiver in 2024.
KaVontae Turpin
Turpin has earned his spot on the Cowboys’ roster simply due to his ability to return punts. Dallas took him as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and though he impressed in the preseason that year, he hasn’t had many opportunities in the regular seasons since then, with just 20 combined targets in those two years. Last year, however, he turned three of his 12 receptions into touchdowns.
Turpin has said that his goal for 2024 is to play fast at any position, but he’s putting in extra work this offseason in his return game. The NFL changed the kickoff rules for 2024 so Turpin has been spending time figuring out how to best implement that this season.
“One of my goals is to try and make the Pro Bowl this year,” said Turpin. “I want to come out as one of the most dangerous returners in the history of the NFL. That’s what I’m going into, especially with it being my contract year. I just want to prove people wrong and that I’m still here.”
Ryan Flournoy
As I mentioned, Flournoy was the Cowboys’ sixth-round draft pick this year and the only skill position player they drafted. He’s certainly not a replacement for Gallup and though there’s been a lot of hype surrounding his potential, he will have to earn his spot on the roster.
Dallas’ third and fourth string receivers
With a lot of unproven potential behind those receivers, the Cowboys currently have third-stringers Racey McMath, Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Tyron Billy-Johnson, and fourth-stringers David Durden, Cam Johnson, Corey Crooms Jr. With 12 receivers on the roster, there will be plenty of position competition at Cowboys training camp next week. When training camp ends, Dallas will have only five or six receivers on the final 53-man roster.