Cowboys Could Target Bills WR as Dak Prescott Deep Threat
It’s possible that the Dallas Cowboys may make a lot of roster changes in 2024, particularly at wide receiver. There is essentially no assurance that any of the team’s receivers, save CeeDee Lamb, will return.
Michael Gallup and Brandon Cooks have been designated as cut candidates, while Jalen Tolbert has been connected to a trade. It is unclear exactly what the Cowboys will do, but if they want to improve one of the wide receivers to go with Lamb, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis might be the best option.
Davis has been a consistent deep threat for Buffalo for the past four years, becoming one of the best “No. 2” receivers in the NFL. While Lamb certainly provides big-play potential, it’s more thanks to his ability to earn yards after the catch.
Davis’ First Four Years with Bills
It did not take Davis long to make his mark with the Bills. Despite not being drafted until the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, Davis earned plenty of opportunities as a rookie that year.
Pro Football Reference shows that he caught 35 passes for 599 yards in his first year, averaging 17.1 yards per catch. That would essentially set the standard YPC for his first four years, as his career average is 16.7.
His best year so far was in 2022, when he caught 48 passes for 836 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s been remarkably consistent, though, as his “weakest” 2021 campaign still saw him rack up 549 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Heading into 2023, his drops had become a concern. After 8 in his first two seasons, Davis dropped nine balls in 2022. However, the former UCF standout has mitigated those problems and has just three drops this year.
Davis is a perfect example of risk versus reward. He will not help Dallas in terms of the short-to-medium gains that offenses need, but he will provide a big-play threat that stretches the field and sets up other players to pick up those 10-20 yard gains.
Sounds like a perfect complement to Lamb.
What a Cowboys Contract Could Look Like for Davis
In this hypothetical, a reason Davis works is because he’s more affordable than options like Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins. Davis has been a clear talent, but his numbers haven’t inflated market projections at Spotrac.
The site says that he will be due for $13.5 million a year on his next deal. That’s actually less than Gallup’s cap hit in 2024, and just $3.5 million more than Cooks’. The primary point of that is not what the Cowboys should pay Davis, but that they have the space to make it work.
Dallas may want to avoid the back-loaded contract strategy that is now burning them with Gallup, though. While Davis is an exciting option, he has yet to have a proper breakout season. He deserves an eight-figure salary, but the Cowboys might want to take a different approach on deals going forward.
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