Should Roy Williams Lose His Job as Dallas Cowboys' Starting Wide Receiver?

Should Roy Williams lose his job as the starting wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys? Should Miles Austin be named the starting wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys? A lot of people are saying Austin should get the start after his performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Throwback Game on Sunday. Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Wade Phillips has danced around the issue, saying that Austin will get about as many balls as he did last week, but has stopped short of naming him the starting wide receiver.

Here are some of the reasons Roy Williams should lose his position as the starter, and Miles Austin should be named the starting wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys for the rest of the 2009 NFL season.

The Cowboys traded for Roy Williams in the middle of the 2008 NFL season, as a complement for Terrell Owens, giving up three picks in the 2009 draft, and one in the 2010 draft. Once in Dallas, Roy Williams played in 10 games, starting seven, and posted only moderate numbers: 19 receptions for 198 yards and one touchdown.

It might be said that as a backup to Terrell Owens, who is no longer with the Dallas Cowboys, that his numbers would be low. But the 2009 season thus far hasn't helped his case. Through four games, he has 11 catches for 214 yards and one touchdown.

Miles Austin, the fourth-year receiver, got his first start replacing the injured Williams. He took advantage of the opportunity, setting a new Dallas Cowboys record, catching 10 balls for 250 yards, and scoring two touchdowns.

Is great play in a single NFL game enough to give a player a starting position, taking it away from another player? It's long been said that a player shouldn't lose his starting position because of injury; and yet when that injury showcases a great talent at backup, should it be ignored?

And when the play of the injured starter has not been that impressive, should he automatically get his position back when he is ready to play? That's the case with Roy Williams, who is currently the starting wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.

With only 11 catches so far, several of his Dallas Cowboys teammates have bigger numbers: Tight end Jason Witten has 28 catches for 259 yards and a touchdown; Wide receiver Patrick Crayton has 15 catches for 243 yards and a touchdown; and Miles Austin has 15 catches for 331 yards and three touchdowns.

A question to ask is whether Austin can repeat his performance in subsequent games. Of course, no one knows, but that doesn't change the performance of Roy Williams, which by all accounts, has been far below expectations. The only way to know if Austin can really produce for the Dallas Cowboys is to name him the starter and give him the opportunity to prove himself-or not. Roy Williams has had his chance to prove himself, and what he's proven is that he isn't the 'playmaker' the Dallas Cowboys need.

So the answer to the question is yes. Roy Williams should lose his job as the starting wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.

Whether the start goes to Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, or another Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, one thing is clear: it shouldn't go to Roy Williams. Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys should admit they paid too steep a price in draft picks for Williams, and do what's best for the team, rather than try to justify the trade they made (if that's why they're still clinging to Williams).

This is NFL football. Dallas Cowboys football. The numbers that really matter should be those a player makes on the field, not how many picks you trade away to get him.

Sources:

Dallas Cowboys www.dallascowboys.com

ESPN http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/nfl