The Cowboys may bow out of the race to sign former Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins because of a roster management excuse that couldn't be more weak.
Half of the league perked up on Friday when the Cardinals released wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after months of unsuccessfully trying to trade him.
And why wouldn't they? Hopkins is a former All-Pro who could be the final piece for a number of Super Bowl contenders out there.
The Cowboys look like one of those teams that could be in on the receiver. The odds even favor them. But they've also got some issues to clear up before making the Hopkins dream a reality. It's just that one of those issues is more lame than the others.
Special teams could stop Cowboys from getting DeAndre Hopkins
Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News laid out some of complications Dallas might face if they pursued Hopkins:
"Cowboys already are in situation where their top three wide receivers (Lamb, Cooks, Gallup) do not contribute on special teams. Adding a fourth would create a problematic game-day roster composition. And then there's matter of compensation, as Cowboys eye Lamb's second contract."
Wanting to keep their books clear enough to re-sign CeeDee Lamb feels like a reasonable hurdle.
But passing on Hopkins because they need room at wide receiver for someone who dresses on special teams is not a good enough excuse. Hopkins is a playmaker worth far more than a but of shuffling on special teams.
The fact of the matter is Hopkins and the Cowboys will come together if the money is right. Right now, there's no reason to believe Hopkins is willing to take a significant pay cut, so whatever other hurdles exist, that's the big one.
