Cowboys News: KaVontae Turpin Seen as a WR, Will 'Play a Role,' per OC Kellen Moore

KaVontae Turpin may be more than a kick returner for the Dallas Cowboys this season.

"It's been really cool to see him become a receiver," offensive coordinator Kellen Moore told reporters. "… We see him as a receiver. We think he's going to be able to play a role."

Turpin turned heads during a preseason win over the Los Angeles Chargers with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and an 86-yard punt return touchdown.

"I got the heart of a lion," he said during a CBS interview (h/t Jori Epstein of USA Today). "So I'm just trying to use my speed, use my ability that God gave me to my advantage."

That speed proved rather unstoppable during that Aug. 20 game and could put him in position to be one of the best returners in the league during his first season. However, as Moore indicated, it could also help him impact the game in other ways if he lines up out wide.

Turpin has taken anything but a traditional path to the NFL, as he went undrafted out of TCU in 2019 before joining the Fan Controlled Football league and the European League of Football in 2021. The 26-year-old was also the league MVP in the USFL before earning an opportunity with the Cowboys.

The 5'9", 153-pound Louisiana native did enough with that chance in the preseason to earn a chance at a position that could use more depth.

Amari Cooper is on the Cleveland Browns, Cedrick Wilson Jr. is on the Miami Dolphins, and Michael Gallup is working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered last season. While CeeDee Lamb is the clear-cut No. 1 option at at wide receiver, there is room for other playmakers such as Turpin to carve out a role.

It seems like fans should expect him to do just that during the Sept. 11 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.