Mike McCarthy opens up on Cowboys receivers room, new addition Tyron Johnson

The Dallas Cowboys haven’t added DeAndre Hopkins or some other big name to the wide receivers room this offseason, but head coach Mike McCarthy likes what he and Dak Prescott have to work with regardless.

The offense will lean heavily on CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks, but there is also a slew of backup receivers trying to earn their snaps, including a new face.

On Tuesday, Mike McCarthy addressed the team’s signing of free agent Tyron Johnson to the 90-man roster. Johnson was one of three receivers that the Cowboys worked out on Monday, but the only one that signed. He played in Houston last season with Cooks.

“I thought all three guys worked out well,” McCarthy said. “There was history there with (Cooks). He brings that juice. It’s mandatory minicamp, isn’t it? We’re excited to have him.”

Johnson’s signing came in the wake of the Cowboy’s decision to release Antonio Callaway, who was arrested on Friday for driving on a suspended license. His arrest was just days before the start of minicamp.

A former standout at Oklahoma State, Johnson has 23 receptions over three seasons in the league. His most productive year was in 2020 with the Chargers. He posted 20 catches for 398 yards and three touchdowns.

McCarthy excited about speed of Cowboys WR room

One key aspect of the Cowboys wide receivers room this year is the overall speed. The Dallas front-office specifically targeted speed when signing Brandin Cooks, hoping to boost the unit’s ability to separate.

McCarthy has seen flashes of that speed throughout OTAs and to start minicamp.

“I think clearly, Brandin and (Turpin), CeeDee, these guys jump out of their shoes,” McCarthy said. “We’re happy as hell.”

Cowboys receiver Simi Fehoko, who spent most of the 2022 season on the practice roster, could find a more active role this year. McCarthy shared on Wednesday that the former fifth-rounder out of Stanford almost received a promotion during last year’s playoff run for the potential he was showing.

“You look at his body type and you forget how fast he is,” McCarthy said of Fehoko. “There was a lot of conversation about him coming up down the stretch because he was playing so well. He’s carried that into the offseason. Simi’s very bright, very instinctive. He’s had a hell of an offseason.”

With Gallup and Jalen Tolbert both projecting confidence about their bounce-back seasons as well, Dallas could have a tough time find the best way to distribute reps when training camp starts next month.