The Cowboys will close out the 2024 season in fitting fashion, taking yet another injury-riddled roster into a game in which they will be underdogs. This time, they will be without top receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has been the most consistent player on the team this year. Lamb has a shoulder injury and will be shut down for the remainder of the season.
No matter how things play out from here, the Cowboys will need to figure out a way to add depth to help out Lamb this season, as he is clearly their lone big-time offensive threat. Lamb has taken a step back this year amid injuries and a contract holdout that cost him all of training camp and most of the preseason before finally agreeing to a four-year, $136 million contract with the Cowboys.
Still, even in a relatively subpar year, he has 101 catches and 1,194 yards to his credit. That’s a testament to Lamb’s greatness. It’s also a testament to the fact that the Cowboys need a No. 2 wide receiver target.
As it stands, Brandin Cooks is 31 years old and has seen his production taper as he struggles with a knee issue. He has just 19 catches for 192 yards this season.
Third-year receiver Jalen Tolbert has shown talent, and will be a factor going forward. But is he good enough to be a bookend to Lamb? Not likely. He has 42 catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns on the season.
Adding a high-level receiver who can rack up catches and yardage should be a priority in the upcoming draft. And USA Today has the Cowboys addressing that issue with an interesting name–Xavier Restrepo of Miami, who declared for the NFL draft on Saturday just before his team was to appear in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
USA Today projects the Cowboys adding Restrepo, who set the Hurricanes’ all-time receiving record with 200 catches to go with 2,844 yards and 21 touchdowns. He’d be an excellent slot option capable of racking up catches, with the ability to break long runs.
As 33rd Team wrote of Restrepo in its scouting report: “Restrepo is a football player to his core. He’s tough, feisty, plays bigger than he is, and has great instincts. This isn’t a receiver who will blow you away with his physical skill set, but he achieves the two most important roles for a player at his position: he gets open and catches the football.”
