As the Dallas Cowboys announced their new head coach this afternoon in Mike McCarthy’s introductory press conference, the Cowboys officially introduced a changing of the guard on their coaching staff.
Per Jane Slater if NFL Network, the Dallas Cowboys will be parting ways with Wide Receivers Coach Sanjay Lal.
#Cowboys WR Coach Sanjay Lal tells me he has indeed been let go. Disappointed he tells me he is proud of what his receivers accomplished this season. Amari Cooper career highs in touchdowns and receiving yards Michael Gallup, a 1a Receiver in his second year & over 1000 yards 1/2
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 9, 2020
Lal has coached the receivers for the Dallas Cowboys since the 2018 season and had two years remaining on his contract. He came into the fold during the infamous “wide receiver by committee offseason,” which miserably failed through the first seven games of the season. It wasn’t until the Cowboys traded their first round pick for Amari Cooper that the team began getting consistent production from the wide receiver group.
Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup art career highs in several categories this season and the Cowboys had three wide receivers average more than 15 yards per reception in Cooper, Gallup, and Cobb. Despite a really good season from the Cowboys wide receivers, they were one of the worst units in the league in drops and the Cowboys’ offense suffered because of it.
One criticism arose late in the season after the Cowboys 17-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that saw Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb sitting on the sideline on a critical 4th and 8 to attempt to tie the game. Jason Garrett explained that the Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore and Sanjay Lal liked rotating their wide receivers and felt that Tavon Austin and Michael Gallup gave them a better opportunity there at the end. The Cowboys got a matchup they liked, but Dak Prescott and Michael Gallup we’re unable to connect on a fade route into the end zone.
This move isn’t all that surprising as there has been turnover at a lot of the position coach spots. So far none of the assistants from 2019 have officially been retained by new head coach Mike McCarthy.
The big names that everyone is still waiting to hear about are Kellen Moore and Quarterbacks Coach Jon Kitna. As quickly as they’re moving to get their coaching staff together, you can bet that the Cowboys will make moves over the next couple of days.
