Dallas Cowboys: Titus Young Would Be Titanic Problem in Dallas

You know as well as I do that Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones loves him some wide receiver. Not sure where it comes from necessarily, but the evidence is just too compelling to believe otherwise.

A major factor has to be the torture administered the Cowboys by San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss back in his youth. Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings after a slide in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft, Moss completely torched the Cowboys in all matchups beginning his rookie season. As late as his 2007 run with the Patriots, Moss scored during a blowout New England win at Texas Stadium.

When playing against Dallas, as he did several times in his first 10 seasons, Moss scoring at least one touchdown was a given.

The Cowboys' selection of wideout Dez Bryant in the 2010 NFL Draft was widely believed to have been influenced by Jones’ regret over having not selected Moss when he easily could have.

So, if Detroit Lions second-year wide receiver Titus Young is released, as many think he will be, Cowboys fans have to hold their breath where Jones’s interest is concerned.  

According to USA Today, Young began having issues with the Detroit coaches around Thanksgiving last season. Knowing full well that Dallas was having trouble finding a third receiver to complement starters Miles Austin and Bryant, I thought briefly about Young’s potential with the Cowboys, then forgot about it.

Young has a history of being rather irritable, and that’s putting it nicely. I’m not going to drag out the oldest of his dirty laundry because that’s been done, but let’s just say that he’s not a positive where locker-room chemistry is concerned.

There is no question that Young has talent, and it’s true that the Cowboys have a need at the position he plays.

But consider these facts about Young:

He wants the ball, and if he can’t get it as much as he wants, then he’s apparently willing to take his bat and go home to another NFL city, according to nfl.com.

Given 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash and other intangibles, Young hasn't  developed as quickly as many anticipated. His focus, attitude and level of commitment have all been questioned.

Young also has a Twitter account that he uses to make himself look as immature as possible, at least as of late. Lions head coach Jim Schwarz had told him as much from his own Twitter account.

Now, does this guy sound like anybody else Jones has had a lust for in the past?

Maybe a guy who used to wear No. 81?

Or perhaps the current—and I stress current—dude wearing No. 88?

But when has the profile of a typically selfish, 21st century, diva wide receiver ever scared off Jones?

I don’t know that it ever has.

If Jones can get his hands on a premier pass-catcher, he does—and let me point out that they have not always been controversial for anything off the field or in the locker room. Joey Galloway, Rocket Ismail and Keyshawn Johnson were all solid players and good teammates while with the Cowboys.     

But if the future goes as many expect it will, Young could be a sudden heart-stopper for Jones. It’s not so much that Young is the level of prospect that any of those other receivers either were or still are. But he does have the potential to be a strong No. 2 receiver on an NFL team.

But Jones might have no choice but to take Young's selfishness and immaturity into consideration.

Understand that Young plays with all-world wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Nicknamed “Megatron,”,Johnson is today’s version of Moss.

Johnson’s height and weight make him an absolute predator pass-catcher who no cornerback comes close to covering one on one.

While Young’s speed might be comparable to Johnson's, he’s still about six inches shorter and a staggering 60 pounds lighter.

In other words, Young is never going to unseat Johnson, so it’s clear that the future of these two together in Detroit is very limited. Young was a second-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, so the last two years of his contract don’t handcuff the Lions in any significant way.

But if Young is finding it unpleasant to play in Detroit, he’s not likely to enjoy Dallas very much either. His past could keep his next contract value rather low, like cornerback Adam Jones, and the commitment to him will probably be limited as well.     

Can you imagine how Young would fare with the Cowboys?

There’s something about the idea of Young and Bryant cruising around together on a Saturday night in north Dallas that makes you more than a bit uneasy.

How many “babysitters” would that project take?

Sure, one never knows how the future will play out. But the way Young acts when he’s not getting the ball would undoubtedly set off tight end Jason Witten—or the whole offense, for that matter.  

It is one thing to want the ball because you know your team wins when that happens. But it’s another when it’s clear that you want the ball simply because you want it, kind of like a kid in a candy store.

And it’s not like Young has been to four Pro Bowls and is an established and elite wide receiver who wants to cash in while he can.

Buyer beware in case Young ends up released sooner rather than later. But there is always the chance that Lions head coach Jim Schwartz can make this thing work, at least for the coming season.

But Jones’s promised offseason of discomfort could get really uncomfortable if somehow he has access to Young, a player who fits physically and possibly financially in Dallas—but that’s where it stops.

There’s no doubt that Young will land elsewhere if released by Detroit, but under no circumstances should Jones acquire Young, even if the opportunity presents itself.

You don’t think Lions owner William Clay Ford has Jones’s cell on speed-dial following the Roy Williams trade in 2008?