ESPN names Cowboys as best free agency fit for two-time All-Pro weapon that could elevate offense

The Dallas Cowboys finished the 2023 NFL season as one of the best offenses in the nation. However, going into 2024, they have yet to pull off a roster move that upgrades the unit.

The offensive line is losing a future Hall of Fame left tackle in Tyron Smith and a starting-level center in Tyler Biadasz. Although they've got two rookies expected to fill in, a downgrade upfront is expected, particularly early on. 

On the playmakers side of thing, the starting lineup looks essentially the same with the exception of Tony Pollard being gone and Michael Gallup being released earlier in the year. 

As of right now, it appears the Cowboys are relatively comfortable going into 2024 with Jalen Tolbert as the third wide receiver behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. But their recent interest in Zay Jones hinted at their desire for depth (or best-case scenario, potential upgrade) at the position.

Well, in that case, ESPN's Matt Bowen has the answer for them as he named Dallas the best free agency fit for WR Michael Thomas:

When healthy, Thomas can still uncover and work multiple levels of the field. However, the injury concerns are legit, as the 31-year-old wide receiver has played in just 20 games over the past four seasons. And while Thomas could wait until after camps start to find the best landing spot, let's focus on Dallas as a possibility; he could make an impact there on a one-year deal.

In Mike McCarthy's offense, Thomas could compete with Jalen Tolbert for the No. 3 role alongside CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. He could align as a boundary X and show his ability to work the seams out of the slot. He caught 39 passes in 2023 for 448 yards and a score.

It's no secret the Cowboys are no strangers to making low-risk, high-reward bets such as these. Thomas' injury concerns would lead to a very low price tag with the upside of having somebody who is better than your current WR3 in Tolbert. 

Even still, it's difficult to get over the "20 games in four years" issue. 

At this point of the offseason, the Cowboys have very few options at wide receiver in free agency. If it's not Thomas and the front office still wants someone else to bring in, they might be forced to seek a trade partner around the league. 

But I can't say Bowen's thinking isn't intriguing here.

Those low-risk gambles can get old pretty quickly but that's the game the Cowboys love to play and there's no question a healthy Thomas would be an exciting pairing with Dak, CeeDee, and Brandin.