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SI on Cowboys' Randy Gurzi called wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling a dark horse to make Brian Schottenheimer's Dallas Cowboys roster.
The Dallas Cowboys took a bit of a flier on wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling this offseason. But SI on Cowboys’ Randy Gurzi doesn’t see the 31-year-old as just a positive veteran presence for the team’s younger receivers.
After standing out at Cowboys offseason workouts this spring, Gurzi predicted Valdes-Scantling to make the Dallas roster this summer.
“Even in a crowded depth chart, Valdes-Scantling stood out. With Pickens skipping the voluntary workouts, Valdes-Scantling was able to take snaps with the first team,” wrote Gurzi on June 13.
“Moving forward, Valdes-Scantling needs to keep this momentum rolling to make the team, but it’s not impossible. Dallas has the first four spots at receiver locked up with Lamb, Pickens, Flournoy, and KaVontae Turpin.”
In 116 NFL games, Valdes-Scantling has posted 219 catches, 3,686 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. He’s averaged 16.8 yards per reception in his career.
Valdes-Scantling played five games for both the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Overall, he had 14 receptions for 120 yards with one touchdown.
GettyThe Dallas Cowboys signed wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling this offseason.
As Gurzi laid out, the top four receiver spots for the Cowboys will likely be accounted for in August. But that’s where the team’s wideout situation gets a lot more murky.
“There are no guarantees with Jonathan Mingo, Traeshon Holden, and rookie seventh-round pick Anthony Smith fighting for the fifth spot,” wrote Gurzi. “That could very well be the final wide receiver position on the roster, but that player could be asked to step up, especially with Turpin dedicating much of his time to special teams as the primary return man.
“That’s why a veteran with as much experience as MVS has could be a fit.”
In addition to Gurzi, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris commended Valdes-Scantling for how he performed this spring. George Pickens skipping voluntary offseason workouts opened an opportunity for Valdes-Scantling, and the veteran took advantage.
The veteran wasn’t the same big-play threat last season from early in his career. He averaged just 10 yards per catch with the 49ers.
Even with his old quarterback from his Green Bay Packers days, Aaron Rodgers, Valdes-Scantling posted eight yards per catch in Pittsburgh.
But with a quarterback more capable of throwing deep passes in Dak Prescott, Valdes-Scantling might be more of the deep threat he’s been for most of his career. Two years ago in 2024, the wideout averaged 21.6 yards per reception.
GettySI on Cowboys’ Randy Gurzi called wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling a dark horse to make Brian Schottenheimer’s Dallas Cowboys roster.
The Cowboys will take the field for minicamp next week with 13 wide receivers on their offseason roster. As Gurzi detailed, Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin will very likely be Dallas’ top four wideouts.
That leaves Valdes-Scantling competing with quite a few other playmakers vying for a spot on the team. Those other receivers are Romello Brinson, Camden Brown, Traeshon Holden, Jordan Hudson, Tyler Johnson, Jonathan Mingo, Anthony Smith, and Jaden Smith.
The Cowboys will host their mandatory minicamp from June 16-18. Those will likely be key practices once again for Valdes-Scantling. That will be his last opportunity to leave an impression this offseason.
The competition for the Dallas receivers will then really heat up in late July at training camp.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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