IRVING, Texas -- Dwayne Harris was an underrated part of the Dallas Cowboys’ success in 2013 and ’14 because of his ability as a punt and kick returner. But the Cowboys were not going to pay Harris the way the New York Giants paid him with a five-year, $17.5 million contract that included $7.1 million in guarantees.
On Sunday, the Cowboys will not only see Harris when they open the season against the Giants, but they will see how their replacement plan will work.
At punt return, Cole Beasley, whom the Cowboys did reward with a $7 million guarantee this offseason, will take over the job. In the preseason Beasley returned two punts for a 23-yard average.
While Harris’ 202-pound frame allowed him to be more physical in the return game, Beasley, at 180 pounds, gets it done differently.
“He’s certainly not going to run through a lot of tackles,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Cole is someone who has been very effective playing on offense, and when he’s had opportunities in the kicking game, by just being someone who’s got a great feel for the game. He’s got excellent quickness, change of direction, makes people miss, so returners have done it a lot of different ways through the years in the NFL. Some guys are bigger and stronger, and they do break tackles. Other guys are more shifty and they use their quickness and speed.”
Beasley hasn’t returned a punt in a regular-season game since 2013 when he averaged 6.8 yards per return.
But his work as a slot receiver helps as a punt returner.
“Getting the ball in your hands in space, that’s kind of the same,” Beasley said. “I guess just getting the ball and having time to look for room to run is kind of the only similarity there is. Anytime I can get the ball I’m happy to do it.”
Beasley has a way of not taking big hits.
“I don’t know if it’s an art, it’s just kind of feeling whenever you have nowhere else to go and knowing how to get up underneath guys and not taking big shots,” Beasley said. “It just takes playing a while and learning how to do it.”
After taking some big hits at SMU, he learned fast.
“I got smarter and figured out how to play a little bit,” he said.