Trade Tony Romo and Dez Bryant while they retain trade value?

Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb urged the Cowboys organization to consider this exact possibility, a prospect that would have been unfathomable just a few months ago as the Cowboys headed into the season expecting to rely heavily on both players.

However, the two have been limited this season and have collectively missed 28 games over the past two seasons. In the meantime, a rookie quarterback, a rookie running back and a slot receiver – who has developed into an ideal underneath threat – have led the Cowboys to a 5-1 record and the lead in the NFC East division.

Let the quarterback debate begin.

Quite honestly, I don’t agree with McNabb’s idea, trading Dez Bryant would be ridiculous considering his return should only make the offense better.

However, the debate of who should start at quarterback needs to take into account three things that have greatly assisted Prescott’s performance this season:

1. The Cowboys’ offensive line is the best in the league according to Pro Football Focus analytics.
2. Ezekiel Elliott is a monster rookie running back that has powered a Dallas rushing attack that is ranked second in the league.
3. Cole Beasley has established himself as a viable underneath weapon.

The last point is one of the more important aspects of this debate that has been overlooked. Although standing at just 5-foot-8, Beasley is likely used to being overlooked in a sport that places premium on receivers standing 6-foot and above.

Beasley's emergence as a slot-weapon is not necessarily unexpected when comparing him to other slot receivers. There have been numerous examples of slot receivers who emerged as legitimate NFL threats, but only after a few years of development.

• Wayne Chrebet, widely considered the best slot receiver while he was playing, was cut during his 1-day tryout with the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL. It took Chrebet five seasons to develop into a legitimate NFL slot-threat when he finally broke the 700-yard barrier for the first time in his career.
• Wes Welker played for three teams in five seasons before he caught on with the New England Patriots and enjoyed his first 1,000-yard season.
• Hines Ward needed his fourth season in the league to eclipse 1,000-yards. Prior to that his highest output was 672-yards.
• Julian Edelman spent five seasons with the Patriots before topping 1,000-yards. Prior to that, he never achieved more than 400-yards receiving in a season.
   

Beasely’s career arc is similar to many of the aforementioned slot-receivers. Specifically, all of these players were a bit undersized and not considered elite when they entered the league. Through immense work and training, each of these receivers went on to perform at elite levels.

Beasley is currently in his fifth year in the NFL. Prior to this season, his largest statistical output was 52 catches for 536 yards. Currently, he has 33 receptions for 390 yards through six contests, which put him on pace for 88 receptions and 1,040 yards on the season. This represents almost a 50-percent increase over last season’s production.  

Interestingly, there is only one receiver for the Cowboys that has statistically ranked in the top three receivers of every Dallas game this season: Cole Beasley.

Thus a strong argument could be made that Beasley, along with Elliott and the offensive line, is just as responsible for the breakout performance of Prescott and the Cowboys. In fact, the rookie quarterback has thrown seven touchdowns in six games. Beasley accounts for three of these scoring receptions.

It will be interesting to see whether the same chemistry can be cultivated if Romo is elevated to starting quarterback when he returns.

Nonetheless, it appears the Cowboys may have found a viable slot weapon for years to come, which cost them zero draft picks (he was an undrafted free agent) and four years of patience through coaching.

However, had Beasley not put in years of effort, he would never have been able to make a play like this: 

Cole Beasley absolutely SHOOK Gunter for a TD. My lord. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/cU9Pv1aEVh

— NFL Draft Insider (@NFLDraftInsider) October 16, 2016

The years Beasley spent in the shadows working to attain the footwork and technique displayed in the above video is the path athletes should follow if they too want to become elite.

The ability to effectively sell a cut and use proper technique to create separation from the defender can only be learned from drills and practice.

Drill Setup:

The purpose of this drill is to teach wide receivers the footwork needed to make speed cuts.

Place three wide receivers in their normal pre-snap stance on the line. The receivers should be approximately three yards apart from each other.

Place a single cone approximately three yards in front of each receiver.

Prior to the whistle, place a coach behind the cones and facing the receivers. The position of the coach allows him to purposefully watch the eyes, feet and hips of the receivers as they execute this drill to ensure they adhere to the fundamental techniques of route running.

Key coaching Points:

On the coach’s whistle, wide receivers will aggressively accelerate out of their stance and run up field to sell a deep release.

Upon reaching the cone, wide receivers will not plant and cut, but instead will execute a speed cut. A speed cut indicates that the receiver will continually accelerate their feet in a small controlled pattern around the cone, which results in a 180 degree turn.

Make sure this drill is run in both directions to either side of the cone.

 

Photo courtesy of Facebook / NU Football - Rashard Lawrence, WR, Northwestern Wildcats & Miami Dolphins