The 2015 NFL Draft might not be too soon to begin preparing for the post-Dez Bryant era in Dallas, as his long-term future with the Cowboys is uncertain and stalled contract negotiations point toward the club placing its franchise tag on the veteran star receiver.
NFL Media draft analyst Lance Zierlein looks at four possible draft options the club could consider at receiver, hedging against the potential loss of Bryant, even if the loss is still a year away:
1. Rashad Greene, Florida State
"It's pretty important for Tony Romo to have good weapons. He needs that. They would probably go with a strong character guy. I would say Rashad Greene, who could play slot and bump him outside if you need to," Zierlein said. "That would be maybe a late second-round pick, or into the third, depending on how people see him."
2. Breshad Perriman, UCF
"Perriman is a guy Jerry (Jones) would love. ... (He) could immediately come in and be a potential replacement for Dez Bryant. So if you went aggressively, you'd probably have to take him at No. 27 to have a shot at him," Zierlein said. "If things go south on Dez from this point forward, they could look at Perriman with a No. 1. If things stay like they are, and you're not sure (about Bryant), Greene is a guy you can take and play in the slot if need be while you sit and wait on Dez."
3. Dezmin Lewis, Central Arkansas
"I thought he had a really good (NFL Scouting Combine) workout. He really, really caught the ball well and I think he's moving up the charts. As a later-round guy, maybe fourth or fifth, he could be a good pick."
4. Vince Mayle, Washington State
"That would be another big-guy wide receiver who could be a 'take over for Dez' guy -- he's not a slot guy. You draft him, it would be with the potential of taking over for Dez in the future, because he's a former basketball player who is still learning the game."
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