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Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - If you look at the wide receiver position with a quick glance, you can't help but notice talent. Not only that, but some high-priced name value as well.
Within the top three, there are two $9 million-per-year players and another first-round draft pick who might have more talent than anyone at the position, possibly the rest of the team, and could arguably be considered one of the NFL's next superstars.
Obviously the latter would be Dez Bryant, but Miles Austin and Roy Williams make up a very established receiving corps - if that's what the Cowboys decide to do once free agency ever begins.
Of course, Williams' future with the Cowboys isn't so solid, especially if there is no salary cap again in 2011. That might be a way to rid themselves of a contract that still has four years remaining.
Financially speaking, it might make sense to do that if there is no cap. In a salary-cap structure, cutting Williams would count more than $13 million against the cap, and keeping him would cost just $9.4 That's a pretty easy decision in my book. I'll take $4 million less and actually have the player - one who was starting to get on the same page with his quarterback before Tony Romo's injury in midseason.
But this isn't really a debate on whether or not the Cowboys should keep Roy Williams.
It's more about why they should keep him, other than just the financial ramifications.
When you look at this depth chart, it's a pretty massive drop-off after Williams.
In years past, you could speculate the first five wide receivers, and then guess on maybe the sixth guy - if the Cowboys even kept six receivers.
But looking at the current makeup of the team - and unlike other positions, wide receiver is relatively safe to do that considering there likely won't be any veteran free-agent additions - it's definitely a wide-open race.
Now anything can happen, and if free agency ends up occurring on quick notice and it's basically a free-for-all, then who knows how everything will shake out.
But either way you slice it, Sam Hurd's chances of returning to the team next season don't look great. It's been five years for him and I think the Cowboys know exactly what he is by now - he's a very good special teams player, and a solid receiver who knows all of the positions and was always ready to play whenever called upon.
And while Hurd proved to be a very valuable player, especially for special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, who called him one of his five best of all time, it's not likely he will return for a neighborhood price of about $2 million a season.
If Hurd ends up taking less, then definitely he'd be welcomed back, but after five years, it might just be time to move on. Jerry Jones made it clear this offseason that "progress stoppers" is something he wants to keep close tabs on and having a five-year vet like Hurd taking some reps from guys like Kevin Ogletree or Manny Johnson or even the rookie Dwayne Harris, could fall into that category.
Now, you could also look at it the other way, especially if there is no cap. If Roy Williams is let go, then maybe taking on a bigger salary for a guy like Hurd wouldn't be such a bad idea. Either way, the Cowboys are going to need some young players to step up.
And it starts with Ogletree. Here's a guy we all sort of assumed would take his game to the next level last year after coming on strong to end his rookie season. If you remember correctly, a lot of pundits were calling for Ogletree to take Williams' job, but it never seemed like he made that push last year.
To me, Ogletree is more of a gamer. He might not look great in some of the training camp practices or the minicamps, but he will wind up catching touchdown pass in the preseason or end up getting a few big plays in the regular-season games.
And there's nothing wrong with that. If you're going to pick your spots, at least do it in the game. Ogletree will have a great shot to claim the fourth spot again, and maybe No. 3 depending on Williams.
Then you've got guys like Jesse Holley, Johnson and Harris, a fifth-round pick from East Carolina. Someone from that group will be counted on to be in the mix. Of that group, only Johnson has a catch - a catch for six yards. Holley is more of a special-teams guy at the moment and Harris has obviously never played a snap.
After that, it's a nice list of guys like Titus Ryan, Jeff Moturi, Teddy Williams and Troy Bergeron.
That's where the drop-off comes into play. Austin has shown the ability to be a consistent producer and Bryant might be ready to break out, if he can stay healthy. And with Williams as a better-than-average No. 3, the Cowboys are in good shape.
But after that, it's anyone's guess.
Staying healthy is always the key for pretty much any position. But you can throw wide receiver right there at the top this year.
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - If you look at the wide receiver position with a quick glance, you can't help but notice talent. Not only that, but some high-priced name value as well.
Within the top three, there are two $9 million-per-year players and another first-round draft pick who might have more talent than anyone at the position, possibly the rest of the team, and could arguably be considered one of the NFL's next superstars.
Obviously the latter would be Dez Bryant, but Miles Austin and Roy Williams make up a very established receiving corps - if that's what the Cowboys decide to do once free agency ever begins.
Of course, Williams' future with the Cowboys isn't so solid, especially if there is no salary cap again in 2011. That might be a way to rid themselves of a contract that still has four years remaining.
Financially speaking, it might make sense to do that if there is no cap. In a salary-cap structure, cutting Williams would count more than $13 million against the cap, and keeping him would cost just $9.4 That's a pretty easy decision in my book. I'll take $4 million less and actually have the player - one who was starting to get on the same page with his quarterback before Tony Romo's injury in midseason.
But this isn't really a debate on whether or not the Cowboys should keep Roy Williams.
It's more about why they should keep him, other than just the financial ramifications.
When you look at this depth chart, it's a pretty massive drop-off after Williams.
In years past, you could speculate the first five wide receivers, and then guess on maybe the sixth guy - if the Cowboys even kept six receivers.
But looking at the current makeup of the team - and unlike other positions, wide receiver is relatively safe to do that considering there likely won't be any veteran free-agent additions - it's definitely a wide-open race.
Now anything can happen, and if free agency ends up occurring on quick notice and it's basically a free-for-all, then who knows how everything will shake out.
But either way you slice it, Sam Hurd's chances of returning to the team next season don't look great. It's been five years for him and I think the Cowboys know exactly what he is by now - he's a very good special teams player, and a solid receiver who knows all of the positions and was always ready to play whenever called upon.
And while Hurd proved to be a very valuable player, especially for special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, who called him one of his five best of all time, it's not likely he will return for a neighborhood price of about $2 million a season.
If Hurd ends up taking less, then definitely he'd be welcomed back, but after five years, it might just be time to move on. Jerry Jones made it clear this offseason that "progress stoppers" is something he wants to keep close tabs on and having a five-year vet like Hurd taking some reps from guys like Kevin Ogletree or Manny Johnson or even the rookie Dwayne Harris, could fall into that category.
Now, you could also look at it the other way, especially if there is no cap. If Roy Williams is let go, then maybe taking on a bigger salary for a guy like Hurd wouldn't be such a bad idea. Either way, the Cowboys are going to need some young players to step up.
And it starts with Ogletree. Here's a guy we all sort of assumed would take his game to the next level last year after coming on strong to end his rookie season. If you remember correctly, a lot of pundits were calling for Ogletree to take Williams' job, but it never seemed like he made that push last year.
To me, Ogletree is more of a gamer. He might not look great in some of the training camp practices or the minicamps, but he will wind up catching touchdown pass in the preseason or end up getting a few big plays in the regular-season games.
And there's nothing wrong with that. If you're going to pick your spots, at least do it in the game. Ogletree will have a great shot to claim the fourth spot again, and maybe No. 3 depending on Williams.
Then you've got guys like Jesse Holley, Johnson and Harris, a fifth-round pick from East Carolina. Someone from that group will be counted on to be in the mix. Of that group, only Johnson has a catch - a catch for six yards. Holley is more of a special-teams guy at the moment and Harris has obviously never played a snap.
After that, it's a nice list of guys like Titus Ryan, Jeff Moturi, Teddy Williams and Troy Bergeron.
That's where the drop-off comes into play. Austin has shown the ability to be a consistent producer and Bryant might be ready to break out, if he can stay healthy. And with Williams as a better-than-average No. 3, the Cowboys are in good shape.
But after that, it's anyone's guess.
Staying healthy is always the key for pretty much any position. But you can throw wide receiver right there at the top this year.