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Cowboys could benefit from not having a No. 1 receiver

The Cowboys have a need at receiver after releasing Dez Bryant but it's perhaps not as pressing as you might think.
Credit: Ronald Martinez
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: Terrance Williams #83 and La'el Collins #71 celebrate the touchdown by Cole Beasley #11 in the fourth quarter of a football game against the Kansas City Chiefs. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

DALLAS — In case you haven't heard, the Dallas Cowboys released receiver Dez Bryant and lack a No. 1 wideout on their roster.

Like President of the Soviet Union, the Cowboys believe the No. 1 receiver position can be abolished; football will be played at AT&T Stadium come Sept. 9 without the spot Bryant occupied.

"Obviously when you lose a player the stature of Dez, he was a No. 1 receiver, he was paid like he was a No. 1, and you don't replace that," Cowboys COO Stephen Jones told the GBag Nation on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday. "There's probably half a dozen of them in the league who are truly No. 1's. It's not the only want to go about having success."

Dallas has veterans Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Noah Brown, and Ryan Switzer on the roster. Factor in free agent signings Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson along with the camp bodies of Lance Lenoir and KD Cannon, and the Cowboys are finding a new way to get things done.

Much like teams were getting away from the running game 10 years ago, teams these days are getting away from the No. 1 receiver. Yes, there are still standout No. 1's out there in Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and even Larry Fitzgerald. However, they are much like the stray Tyrannosaur bellowing in the early Paleogene Period. There are new animals set to inherit the gridiron.

Fun fact: four of the 12 playoff teams in 2017 had a receiver finish in the top 10 in receptions. Pittsburgh had two of them in Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell, who hauled in 85 receptions, which would have led the Cowboys in each of the past three seasons.

The running back route may be where the Cowboys are going in their new Dez-less passing game. Consider that the only playoff team to have a receiver lead their team in receptions were the Jacksonville Jaguars with Marqise Lee grabbing 56. The other seven remaining playoff teams had either a tight end or running back leading the team in catches.

Well, we know Dallas isn't going down the tight end route, although tight end Jason Witten has outlasted everyone at this point. Can you believe this is the same guy who was litter mates with first-round pick Terence Newman and undrafted free agent Tony Romo in 2003? Play that tweet from Jon Machota at the Dallas Morning News where Witten says he knows his time with teammates won't last forever.

Yeah. Witten saying that is like a Highlander saying he knew the Cubs World Series drought wouldn't last forever.

Anyway, Dallas isn't building their offense around Witten (don't tell him I said that). The Cowboys could be going the route of the Bills, Panthers, and Rams who had backs lead the team in receptions. Allegedly running back Ezekiel Elliott can do more than catch the same screen pass in the flat that goes for a 70-yard touchdown every year. If the Cowboys are going to utilize Elliott more in the passing game, then it de-emphasizes the need for a No. 1 receiver.

The Rams had the more dynamic receiving corps among the back-led teams with Cooper Kupp gaining 869 yards and five touchdowns and Robert Woods racking up 781 and also five scores. Hurns eclipsed those numbers in 2015, his healthiest, most prolific season of his career, and Williams produced 840 during the beginning of the end for Bryant in 2015. Beasley has also been averaging five touchdowns each of the past four seasons.

It's possible.

Does this talk from Stephen indicate the Cowboys are just going to skip over receiver with the club's premium picks out of their 10 draft choices? Absolutely not.

Said Jones: "We think we're certainly, very open and could see that happening, taking a receiver early. Now, whether that's a first round, second round, third round, or even fourth round, we're not sure of that. And for that matter, we could take a couple of receivers. We just wanted to be very competitive and be able to put the best group on the field and complement our offense and certainly mesh with Dak [Prescott] and what he does."

Prescott had trouble meshing with Bryant in 2017. The Cowboys are hoping their retooling of the receiving corps and dissolving of the No. 1 spot will be the answer.

Should the Cowboys try harder to replace Dez Bryant or are you in favor of allowing Dak Prescott to spread things around as he sees fit? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.

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