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I know T.O. is a very talented WR, but I think the Cowboys will be fine without him. Not all the pressure has to be on the WR’s to make up for the loss of him. The Cowboys have 2 very good offensive TE’s in Witten and Bennett, and have one of the best RB groups in the NFL. Getting Felix Jones back will play a big role in making up for T.O.’s production. Just keep all that in mind as you read this.

1. Roy Williams. Easily a number one wide receiver in his own right, but due to Owens’ reputation, Williams is being forced to live up to a really high standard. I think he’ll pleasantly surprise many football fans, as he’s never played for a quarterback with Romo’s talent. Williams will most likely have a career year in 2009.

2. Patrick Crayton Age:30 (6’0″ 203 lbs 4.58 40 yard dash according to USA Today). I don’t know about you, but when I think about Crayton, I have trouble getting over the dropped pass in the playoffs a couple seasons ago. But we have to put that behind us. He has good strength and hands, and has only missed 1 game the past 3 years. In those 3 years, he has been very consistent with his production. He has produced between 500 and 700 yards each season, while notching 15 touchdowns during in that time. I like Crayton, just not as the #2. I think he is the type of guy that is perfect for the slot. He can find the openings in defenses, and isn’t afraid to go over the middle. If he can put up another 500 yard season, and get a few touchdowns, I think he has done his job well. Lets just hope he is still getting better at the age of 30. We may only have a couple seasons till he starts to decline, which isn’t good for a guy who is a role player.

3. Miles Austin Age:25 (6’3″ 216 lbs 4.47 40 yard dash). This kid has a ton of potential, let;s just hope he can utilize it now that we need him to. I have read reports that he is battling Crayton for the #2 spot, but he is currently splitting time as the #3 with Hurd. I would definitely like to see him lining up on the outside, with Crayton and Hurd handling the slots. He is widely considered the deep threat of this receiving group, which is a very accurate statement. He only had 13 receptions (in 12 games) last year, but they were for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns. His YPC last season was 21.4.

Austin’s may end up seeing many of the passes that Owens saw in previous seasons; the deep Romo bombs are a nice fit given Austin’s raw speed, and lining up in the slot will throw many offenses off should Austin make an impact in Dallas.

4. Sam Hurd. A young wide receiver, just 24 years old, Hurd is making waves in training camp (just like he did in 2008). Many say that he’s making great plays in practice and see this receiver coming into his own in 2009.

There really isn’t much else to say about him, he just needs to stay healthy, and keep up what he is doing in training camp. Let’s hope it translates into regular season production. I could see him putting up 400 yards, and a few touchdowns, as the 4th receiver. Now, I know he is in the battle just as much as Crayton and Austin, but I just don’t see him moving up the depth chart till next year at the earliest, barring injuries of course.

Short of these four wide receivers, I don’t see anyone else at the position making much of an impact in Dallas next season. There’s some talent to be tapped into, and a top NFL quarterback passing them the ball. Hopefully this will be enough to win some games.

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