When people think about the Dallas Cowboys’ receiving corps, the conversation begins and ends with CeeDee Lamb. Folks are excited to see the newly acquired George Pickens also, whose physicality and electric aerial ability gives Dak Prescott a different type of target, but it starts with Lamb.
But the player, however, who could truly tilt defenses isn’t the established names. It’s KaVontae Turpin - the undersized, lightning-in-a-bottle type of athlete that can take it for six in a blink.
Explosive ability in space
Turpin’s path to the NFL has been anything but conventional, from starring in spring leagues to carving out a role as a return man in Dallas. But what he’s shown in flashes -- elite acceleration, instant separation, and the ability to flip a game on it's head in one play -- translates to more than just special teams. The Cowboys are expected to expand his offensive role this fall, and against Philadelphia’s defense, his profile is exactly the type that can exploit cracks.
Why Philly’s secondary is vulnerable
Yes, the Eagles have Quinyon Mitchell -- a physical, sticky corner who already looks the part of an elite level perimeter CB1. But the rest of the secondary has questions which have remained behind the curtain this summer with so much attention on the offensive side of the football. Mitchell can’t cover everyone, and if Dallas spreads the field as expected, Philadelphia will be forced to lean on players who could be attacked in the air.
That includes projected nickel Cooper DeJean, who, while instinctive and hard-nosed, was fortunate to live at nickel last year behind a front four that consistently got home in their base defense.
What does that mean? Well, DC Vic Fangio had the luxury of dropping seven in coverage consistently, making things all that easier for the secondary. Just take a peek back to Fangio's gameplan against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Now, it's not to take away from the success that DeJean or the Eagles had on that side of the ball in 2024, but there's context needed here on DeJean, and current perimeter CB2 Adoree Jackson.
Mitchell is fine on one side, but if Jackson were to fail quickly, the backup plan remains in either DeJean bumping out, which could cause issues with his lack of pure coverage ability in man, or Jakorian Bennett, who was added from the Raiders just a few short weeks ago.
But back to DeJean. When asked to cover true burners on the outside at Iowa, his best fit long-term was discussed as either a nickel, where he's an excellent read and react defender in tight confines, or as a free safety, where everything stays in front and his tackling prowess would showcase downhill. It's not a flack on who he is as a player, he fit his role perfectly last fall for Fangio, but rather key context for the Eagles in not forcing a square peg into a round hole, and forcing a corner with a lack of pure coverage pop into the perimeter if things go haywire quickly.
But, if Philadelphia does in fact push him outside this fall, where DeJean totaled just eight of his 781 defensive snaps last year, expect quarterbacks - and receivers like Turpin - to test him relentlessly.
How Turpin fits next to Lamb and Pickens
The brilliance of having Lamb and Pickens is that they command so much attention. Lamb thrives underneath and on intermediate routes, Pickens stretches defenses with his physicality, and defenses often tilt coverages toward one, or both. That leaves playmakers like Turpin free to face single coverage or to find open grass against slower defenders.
In Week 1, Philadelphia will be forced to prioritize stopping Lamb and Pickens as Dallas is going to sling it around the yard, that's no secret. For Turpin, whether it's sneaking behind the defense for a 50-yard holeshot, or taking a screen and turning it into a chunk play, it doesn’t take 10 targets for him to make an impact -- two or three touches in space could be enough to swing momentum.
The bigger picture this Fall
Turpin isn’t expected to lead Dallas in catches, but his value lies in forcing defenses to account for him. Every snap he’s on the field he forces defenses to cover each blade of grass, further opening windows for Lamb, Pickens, and even tight end Jake Ferguson. He also offers Prescott a built-in “easy button” when plays break down: dump it to Turpin in space and let him create.
As the season progresses, his role could quietly expand into designed packages -- jet sweeps, deep crossers, a higher rate of designated touches -- all intended to maximize his quick-twitch explosiveness. Defenses already face an uphill climb against Dallas’ top weapons; adding Turpin into the mix may simply be too much to handle.
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