FRISCO, Texas — As the Dallas Cowboys prepare to head to Lambeau Field for their Week 10 matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, the prevailing headline isn't that the former is 6-2 while the latter is 3-6. It's the Cowboys' interest in free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. after their attempts to trade for a wideout stalled last week.
It's clear they want to insert another dynamic receiver into the mix, and Beckham is now their (and other teams') top option to accomplish that goal.
On Tuesday, in his weekly radio address to 105.3FM the Fan, owner and general manager Jerry Jones explained where things are regarding the current roster at receiver - circling the tight end triumvirate of Dalton Schultz, Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot and soon-to-return wideout James Washington as additional parts of the conversation.
"I really like where we are with our receiving corps," Jones said. "Of course, Washington coming back, and that's big. And we've got [Michael] Gallup who, in my mind, is just getting better and to the level that we'd expect him to be - improving every day. And of course [CeeDee] Lamb, who we think is everything that we wanted in our No. 1 receiver.
"I like the way we're pitching the ball and throwing it to our tight ends. I think that's meaningful in this conversation because, as I see us going forward, that could basically dictate how aggressive we are regarding any type of additions we have here at receiver."
Washington has yet to see his 21-day practice window activated from injured reserve, but that is expected to change very soon. The club has high hopes for Washington and there's a chance they'd want to see what he can contribute before adding Beckham and, if so, it would truly make any potential signing of Bechkam a "future" conversation (a word specifically used by head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday).
Jones is clear that he still has interest in Beckham, however.
"On the other hand, Odell is someone that we have all the appreciation in the world for what he is as a competitor," Jone added. "And I know that the Cowboys star on that helmet, when he puts it on, it could look pretty good."
He is also not overtly concerned with the fact the 30-year-old is returning from his second torn ACL in as many seasons, or in how Beckham may or may not fit when/if entering the back end of the season.
"We know that he's coming off of this injury but he showed that he could do it, and do it well, last year [with the Rams]," said Jones. "That would go in the mix real good. His past dealing with adversity of injury and rehab - I think that tells you a lot.
"… I think that you're looking at a player [whose] experience far outweighs any of that ambiguity involved with how he's gonna fit your system."
As it stands, the Cowboys are appearing to finally find their way in the passing game with Dak Prescott now healthy and regaining chemistry with Lamb and Gallup, but the production of Noah Brown has dipped the past couple of weeks - after firing off to a blistering start to the season - and Brown also missed the Week 8 matchup with the Chicago Bears due to a foot injury.
Time will tell if Beckham ends up in a Cowboys uniform - seeing as they also aren't the only team bidding for his services - and if it doesn't materialize, Jones feels the existing stable of WRs/TEs will be perfectly fine.
"We may or may not get something done as far as adding at WR," said Jones. "But if we don't, I like where we are."
