Cowboys Film Room: What to do with Dallas’ receivers

As for Bryant, he’s not having the season many have hoped. He’s dropped far too many passes (nine, according to Pro Football Focus) and he just hasn’t been able to take over games like we have seen him do in the past. However, there are at least a few explanations why he has struggled this year. The first being that he is clearly hurt.

According to Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com, Bryant is still nursing a knee injury that was injured against Kansas City in earlier November. You can see when he runs that there is a slight limp there and it’s affecting his explosiveness. He will never complain about being banged up, but he is certainly not 100 percent.

But the biggest reason is that teams have been focusing on taking him away with Elliott off of the field. To Bryant’s credit, he has been able to produce at the same level without Elliott in the game, but defenses aren’t afraid of anyone else beating him. He’s seeing the same amount of double coverage, but no one else on the roster can consistently beat single, man-to-man coverage.

On the one play that Bryant did see single coverage, he roasted Sean Smith for a 40-yard reception that eventually led to the game-winning field goal. He doesn’t see this type of coverage very often, but usually, he takes advantage of it.

How do the Cowboys solve their receiving corps by next season? Is it possible? It’s going to be tough considering that five of their six receivers are under contract for the foreseeable future (Brice Butler is a free agent after the season). Williams just signed a long-term deal and Ryan Switzer and Noah Brown will be in the second year of their rookie deals.

According to OverTheCap.com, the Cowboys are projected to spend the most money in the league on the receiver position (they will also be spending the sixth-most on the tight end position, but we will save that problem for another day).

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It’s unlikely the team will be able to spend much, if at all in free agency to upgrade their receivers. They could spend a draft pick on the position, but with the team already having five receivers under contract, is there a spot on the roster for a rookie receiver?

Ultimately, the Cowboys just need their current receivers to play better. They have the talent to play at a much higher level than how they have played this season. Or maybe, the problem isn’t the receivers at all. Maybe, the quarterback has taken a step back this season and that has hurt the production of the receivers. Whatever the issue is, the Cowboys have to find out a way to fix their passing attack this offseason if they ever want to be serious contenders in the NFC.