Top 10 receivers in NFC East after Dez Bryant's exit

The Cowboys on Friday decided to cut Dez Bryant, who was once a great receiver who hasn’t been the same guy in the last three years. He was still the Cowboys’ best receiver in 2017, though, and without him, their unit isn’t pretty. With Bryant out of the division (for now), it got us thinking about the top receivers in the NFC East. There’s a steep drop-off on this list, but here it goes … (USA Today Images)

10. Josh Doctson
We originally had Cowboys newcomer Allen Hurns in this spot, but Doctson gets the nod because he has the potential to be a really good receiver in the league. He had 35 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns in 2017 after what was basically an redshirt year as a rookie. He’s getting better and can rise on this list quickly. (USA Today Images)

9. Paul Richardson
Washington brought in Richardson as a free agent this offseason and they’re hoping he works out better than Terrelle Pryor did a year ago. Richardson is coming off his best NFL season; he caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns for the Seahawks last season. His previous career high in yards was 288 the previous year. (USA Today Images)

8. Brandon Marshall
It was hard to place Marshall on this list. He used to be a perennial Pro Bowler, but he’s 34 now and is coming off an injury-shortened season. Will he be able to find that old form? Hard to tell. For now, we’ll put him eighth. By the end of the season, he could be higher on the list or off it completely. (USA Today Images)

7. Terrance Williams
He might not be a great receiver, but Williams is pretty consistent. He caught 53 passes for 568 yards last season but failed to get into the end zone. It was the worst season of his five-year career. (USA Today Images)

6. Mike Wallace
The Eagles replaced Torrey Smith with Wallace and actually upgraded. Wallace is 31 now but is coming off a 52-catch, 748-yard season, which followed a 1,000-yard campaign. He had two successful years in Baltimore and should be a nice complement to Jeffery and Agholor in Philly. (USA Today Images)

5. Sterling Shepard
Two years in and Shepard is looking like the real deal. His touchdown numbers dropped in 2017, but he still had 59 catches for 731 yards. The Giants were terrible in 2017, but if they get it together this next season, he’ll play a big role. (USA Today Images)

4. Jamison Crowder
Crowder had a somewhat down season in 2017 (66 catches, 789 yards, three touchdowns) but has been really solid during his first three years in the NFL. You could argue his consistency should put him above Agholor. In 2016, he had 847 receiving yards and his worst year came as a rookie, when he had 59 for 604. Not bad. (USA Today Images)

3. Nelson Agholor
After searching the three other teams in the NFC East again and again, Agholor deserves this spot. He caught 62 balls for 768 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Sure, it’s just one year of production, but it’s hard to deny his big-play ability. It’ll be time for an extension for Agholor soon enough. (USA Today Images)

2. Alshon Jeffery
No, Jefferey’s numbers weren’t incredible during the 2017 season, but he still managed to catch 57 passes for 789 yards and nine touchdowns while playing with a torn rotator cuff. He then balled out in the playoffs to help the Eagles win the Super Bowl. He signed a four-year extension during the season after he came to Philly on a one-year deal last offseason. (USA Today Images)

1. Odell Beckham Jr.
OBJ is coming off a major injury and there have been plenty of questions about his future in New York, but he’s still the top guy on the list because when he’s healthy, he’s not just good … he’s all-time good. In the first three years of his career, Beckham caught 288 passes for 4,122 yards and 35 touchdowns. He’s the only player in NFL history to put up those numbers to start a season. (USA Today Images)