Allen Hurns Can Be the Dynamic Receiver Dallas Needs
Though he’s battled injuries over the last two seasons, Allen Hurns is not so far removed from a monster season, and he could bring that to the Dallas Cowboys
Though the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with longtime star Dez Bryant, Jason Garrett and company picked up a more than serviceable target in his stead. Allen Hurns, who racked up 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns for Jacksonville back in 2015, will have the opportunity to lead the receiving corps in Dallas.
While Hurns doesn’t necessarily command the attention Bryant does, his statistics in recent years are quite respectable. Hurns has averaged 12.4 yards per reception or more for each of his four years in the league.
With an average of 16.1 yards per reception in 2015, the former Jaguar turned 64 receptions into 1,000+ yards. He also did that with Blake Bortles under center, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. With Dak Prescott running the show in Dallas, Hurns will be in store for a serious upgrade. Also, without Jason Witten and Bryant in the fold, there won’t be much competition for targets in his first season as a Cowboy.
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Helping his case even more is his first down efficiency. Since his average per-reception yardage exceeds ten yards, one could surmise he is responsible for a lot of first downs. That would be correct, as Hurns has moved the chains with at least half of his receptions each year. In his crazy 2015 season, he converted three-quarters of his receptions (48/64) into first downs.
Don’t think that only his 2015 season defines him. Even in his injury-shortened 2017 campaign, he converted over seventy percent of his receptions for first downs. Even though he missed six games, he still managed to be efficient while on the field.
Hurns is not the household name that Bryant is, and for Dallas, parting with a big name in Bryant to obtain a better option in Hurns, given that Bryant is past his prime, was a wise choice.
At the ripe age of 26, Hurns is still in his prime. He also was a lot cheaper than Bryant, as his 2-year, $12 million deal is much more affordable than Bryant’s 5-year, $70 million deal from 2015.
The big question will be whether Hurns can stay on the field. Between the last two season, the Miami product has missed 11 games. He played in all 16 games of his rookie season and missed only one in 2015.
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Hurn’s big-play ability and efficiency is there. Whether the 6’3”, 200-pound receiver can be healthy enough to show it is another story.