Cowboys linked to free agent WR who's years past his prime

The Dallas Cowboys' offseason has been eerily uneventful. Aside from Jerry Jones re-signing his long-snapper and catastrophically telegraphing his favorite draft prospect, all is quiet in the heart of Texas.

Well, that's not entirely true. Ezekiel Elliott is back. That is... something. The Cowboys needed a running back. I'm sure everybody feels great about this reunion, so there's no need to dig deeper. Stuff definitely happened, but not enough stuff happened, and the stuff that did happen probably won't move the needle for a team that desperately needs to move the needle.

Aside from Zeke, though, the Cowboys' offseason has amounted to a whole lot of nothing. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb hang over the horizon like a storm cloud. Both need and deserve lucrative extensions, but Jones has been stubborn with his finances. The Cowboys are still the reigning NFC East champs with a roster built to contend, but the lack of positive change since their embarrassing Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers is alarming.

If the Cowboys want to get serious, now is the time. Several appealing free agents still populate the marketplace. ESPN's Matt Bowen went through the best team fits for several current free agents, with one high-profile name tied to Dallas.

He considers the Cowboys a prime destination for Michael Thomas, the two-time All-Pro wideout who has spent his last eight years with the New Orleans Saints.

"When healthy, Thomas can still uncover and work multiple levels of the field. However, the injury concerns are legit, as the 31-year-old wide receiver has played in just 20 games over the past four seasons. And while Thomas could wait until after camps start to find the best landing spot, let's focus on Dallas as a possibility; he could make an impact there on a one-year deal. In Mike McCarthy's offense, Thomas could compete with Jalen Tolbert for the No. 3 role alongside CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. He could align as a boundary X and show his ability to work the seams out of the slot."

Cowboys tied to Michael Thomas as potential WR boost

The Cowboys have never shied away from gambling on talent at the WR position. Thomas certainly has no shortage of it. Not long ago, the Ohio State product was considered arguably the best wideout in the NFL, period. Injuries have since taken their toll, however, with Thomas limited to 20 games over the last four years.

Thomas appeared in 10 games (seven starts) for the Saints last season, struggling to build a rapport with new signal-caller Derek Carr. He tallied 39 receptions on 64 targets for 448 yards and one touchdown. The last time Thomas played a full season was 2019, when he led the NFL in receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725).

Expecting Thomas to return to that level would be foolish, but the odds of him outperforming a fringe-level contract are fairly high. Thomas is still 6-foot-3 with enough speed to beat defenses over the top and the route-running versatility to operate in a complementary role around the line of scrimmage.

He wouldn't be asked to lead the Cowboys' WR room. He would essentially profile as the third banana, sticking in the back of defenders' minds as they sell out to stop CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. Say what you will about Dallas' postseason flameouts, but this is one of the best regular season offenses in the NFL. Dak Prescott finished runner-up in MVP voting last season after the best individual campaign of his career. He can set Thomas up with a steady diet of accurate deliveries.

Thomas' days of stardom are in the rearview mirror, but he's not bad. He's hurt all the time. If the football gods bless Thomas with a healthy season in a low-usage role, he could restore his reputation and potentially compete for a Super Bowl with the Cowboys.