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Cowboys Not Feeling Urgency To Draft Receiver Without Bryant

FRISCO (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are feeling more confident that they might have replaced Dez Bryant in free agency, so another day of the NFL draft could come and go without them taking a receiver.

After picking linebacker Leighton Vander Esch of Boise State at No. 19 in the first round, the Cowboys have the 50th overall pick in the second round and the No. 81 overall selection in the third round Friday night.

Leighton Vander Esch
Leighton Vander Esch of Boise State poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked #19 overall by the Dallas Cowboys during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones says club officials talked extensively before selecting Vander Esch about how comfortable they were with the additions of receivers Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson in free agency.

Jones says the Cowboys "believe there's some receivers, one through seven, that have some unique traits." The final four rounds of the draft are Saturday.

The Cowboys released Bryant as a cost-cutting move earlier this month. The franchise leader in touchdown catches had three sub-par seasons after signing a big contract following an All-Pro year in 2014.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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