With everyone talking about whether the Dallas Cowboys will be able to keep Laurent Robinson, there is a chance the team will have to find a way to replace him if he leaves. One of the players that Dallas can consider holding onto if Robinson leaves is Jesse Holley.
As a matter of fact, it is almost a guarantee that Holley returns for the 2012 NFL season since he is an exclusive rights free agent. What this means is that, even though Holley is a free agent, he is not allowed to negotiate with any other team and no other team can offer him a contract if Dallas wants him back. That is due to him having less than three years playing time. Dallas can offer Holley any contract they want and he can't refuse it unless he wants to quit the NFL.
Holley will be back in 2012 at league minimum.
What will he provide Dallas for the 2012 season though? Holley was used very little in 2011. He was the hero in the Week 2 win over the San Francisco 49ers when Tony Romo hit him with a surprise bomb. Holley was caught from behind but Dallas kicked the game-winning field goal after the catch.
Romo rewarded Holley for his big catch by not throwing him another pass until Week 10. He added another reception in Week 11 and two more in Week 13 to finish the season with seven receptions for 169 yards. He averaged 24.1 yards per reception and, even more impressive, caught every pass Romo threw his way.
He made the most of his playing time though, with 12 special teams tackles, ranking fifth on the Cowboys' roster.
If Robinson leaves for another team, Holley will get the chance to start and I don't know if the Cowboys will re-sign Kevin Ogletree after a few years of disappointing numbers. Holley joined the Cowboys thanks to winning Michael Irvin's reality show and the reality is that Holley turned out to be a real football player. He will get a chance in 2012 but growing into the No. 3 receiver is still a long shot.
Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys' fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys' related news, good or bad
