The Dallas Cowboys' splash offseason trade for Brandin Cooks added an explosive element to an offense needing another playmaker.
The addition of the field-stretching weapon has wideout CeeDee Lamb believing the Cowboys could be unstoppable in 2023.
"Can't really put a ceiling on us," Lamb said last week, . "As you can tell, we can score from anywhere, quite honestly. We just have to put it together."
Perhaps the ceiling might be Mike McCarthy's insistence this offseason that he plans to run the ball more? With McCarthy taking over play-calling, the Cowboys coach's offseason has revolved around suggesting that the way to unlock postseason success is to lean more heavily on the ground game -- even though Dallas cut longtime grinder Ezekiel Elliott this offseason, and the only significant addition to the backfield was 5-foot-5 Deuce Vaughn in the sixth round of the draft despite Tony Pollard coming off an injury.
Meanwhile, Cooks adds a reliable target to the passing game that could be a game-changer for Dak Prescott. The speedster with six career 1,000-yard games is an ideal complement to Lamb. If Michael Gallup gets closer to returning to form a full year removed from an ACL injury, the trio could be among the most dangerous in the NFL.
Prescott noted that the Cooks addition boosted the entire receiver room.
"The moment that guy showed up, just watching him in workouts and how he carries himself from drill-to-drill, what he does pre-workout and post-workout to take care of his body to have that speed," Prescott said. "When you throw it to him, it stands out, his speed is different from many others. He's already been helping CeeDee, helping the young guys, playing cornerback to teach them the little nuances of route-running. It's gonna be huge for me and huge for the room."
Last season, Lamb generated 107 catches for 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns. Noah Brown came in as the Cowboys' next closest receiver in the stat column with 43 catches for 555 yards and three TDs. One goal in 2023 is minimizing that wide gap.
