Cole Beasley is gone to Buffalo. What will Cowboys miss most from the reliable slot WR?
Sources confirm that free agent wide receiver Cole Beasley has left the Dallas Cowboys for the Buffalo Bills.
Per reports, Beasley will get $29 million over the next four years, including $17 million in the first two years and $14.4 million guaranteed.
It’s not quite the $20 million guaranteed he was looking for but it’s a fresh start and possibly came with promises of more opportunities he was looking for in the passing game.
The former SMU product, who joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2012, tweeted his own news and farewell.
The Cowboys wanted Beasley back but made it clear it was only going to be at a certain price.
Beasley made it clear late in the 2018 season that he was inclined to leave the Cowboys in search of an offense that used him more.
He was the No. 3 receiver behind Allen Hurns and Michael Gallup. Both were going to get more balls in 2019.
Of course, it’s hard to say he was underused with the Cowboys. He was quarterback Dak Prescott’s most reliable target over the last three years, catching 174 passes for 1,774 yards since 2016.
What the Cowboys will miss most in Beasley was his ability to make the clutch catch on third down.
As of now, the team will likely turn to Hurns and Tavon Austin as possible replacements for Beasley in the slot.
They could also target a slot receiver in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft.
Hurns is recovering from a fractured ankle but should be ready for training camp. He played the slot when he was in Jacksonville before coming to the Cowboys.
Dallas just picked up his option his contract for the 2019 season that includes a non-guaranteed salary of $4 million.
Austin is a free agent that the Cowboys are interested in bringing back, but nothing has yet to be consummated.
This story was originally published March 12, 2019 at 12:28 PM.
