The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with a potentially combustible situation at present with star wide receiver Dez Bryant. While Bryant is almost assured to remain a leading member of the Cowboys receiving corps despite his current contract impasse, the rest of the Dallas depth chart at wideout seems to be in flux.
Former Baylor Bear Terrance Williams likely has the second spot locked up and diminutive slot man Cole Beasley was given a new contract this offseason, but nothing seems guaranteed beyond Bryant's continued dominance.
George Farmer was a recent free agent addition with some talent and Devin Street was a fifth-round pick just a year ago, but still, questions remain.
Antwan Goodley, another former Baylor alum, was added by the team as an undrafted free agent after surprisingly going unselected in the 2015 NFL Draft's seven rounds. He could potentially make some noise for Dallas despite concerns over certain areas of his game and his understanding of pro route concepts.
"Sources said that Goodley didn't grade out as draftable," writes Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com. "They felt that his skill set didn't translate to the NFL. One source said, 'I don't like my wide receivers to be built like fullbacks.' That was an obvious exaggeration, but the 5-foot-10, 209-pound Goodley is much thicker than most NFL receivers while also being on the short side."
Goodley replaced Williams in the Bears lineup and promptly posted 71 receptions for 1,339 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2013. While his numbers his senior season weren't quite as eye-popping - 60 catches, 830 yards, six touchdowns - he seemed like a likely mid-to-late-round draft pick.
Goodley's physical dimensions and athletic makeup make the proposition of him ever becoming an impact wideout questionable - which may be why sources indicated to Campbell that Goodley's NFL future might not actually be at the receiver position, something which could eventually benefit the NFL's Dallas franchise.
"Some teams felt that Goodley should move to running back in the NFL, and that could be a possibility depending on his new coaching staff."
The Cowboys, of course, are hard at work attempting to replace the 1,845 rushing yards and over 2,200 all-purpose-yards that DeMarco Murray posted behind their vaunted offensive line last season. Free agent pick-up Darren McFadden and holdover Joseph Randle, Murray's backup last year, are the first in line to replace the league's leading rusher, but Goodley could wind up aiding that cause as well depending on how things shakeout and how he develops in Year One.
"Goodley is a top-heavy wide receiver with a running back's frame and an ability to make teams pay after the catch," writes NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. "The biggest concern in scouting circles is how quickly he can adapt to NFL routes and how his hands will hold up if he's asked to make his living over the middle of the field in traffic. Goodley isn't the talent that Percy Harvin is, but he can be used in some of the same, creative ways."
With Bryant's status in some doubt and Murray off to midnight greener pastures, the Cowboys are likely looking for any and every playmaker they can find.
Goodley seems to be in good position to make his mark on the Boys from Day One through a variety of roles running and receiving. While he may not possess the same type of athleticism as Harvin, if he can gain the coaching staff's trust, he can be a swiss army knife and third-down receiving running back able to line up all across the formation.
