OXNARD, Calif. – After 10 practices -- eight the full-padded variety -- it’s time to bring out Five Wonders after spending some time on the reserve/physically unable to come up with stuff list.

For all of the talk around the Cowboys regarding the addition of a veteran running back, I wonder if they need to look for a veteran wide receiver. Dez Bryant's injury has shown just how thin the Cowboys are at receiver. If something were to happen to Bryant or Terrance Williams in the regular season, they don't have a ready-made outside receiver. Devin Street is supposed to be that guy but he's been slowed by an ankle injury and not had the greatest of starts to camp. Cole Beasley has not been defended yet in camp, but I don't know if he can be a full-time receiver outside. The same goes for Lucky Whitehead. The other receivers have yet to do much to distinguish themselves yet either. Basically here's what the Cowboys need: The 2011 version of Laurent Robinson.

Byron Jones' athleticism might make him the ball-hawking free safety that the Cowboys have lacked for quite some time. AP Photo/LM Otero

The injuries to Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick will probably kill the chances of this happening, but I wonder if the Cowboys just need to make Byron Jones a free safety now. It's not what he hasn't done at cornerback; he's been fine. It's not what J.J. Wilcox or Barry Church haven't done at safety. It's about getting the best 11 on the field. There would be growing pains, but Jones' athletic ability would give the Cowboys a centerfield safety that they haven't had in years. He can cover up his missteps with his athleticism. There are questions to his game that are impossible to answer at this time. "Can he be a good enough tackler?" is at the top of the list.

With Doug Free slowed by a sore foot, I wonder if the Cowboys give La'el Collins some turns at right tackle. It's not an indictment of Darrion Weems, who has actually had some positive moments in attempting to nail down the swing-tackle role Jermey Parnell held. But if Collins can show he can play some tackle in the preseason, then that would affect how they construct their 46-man gameday roster. In recent years the Cowboys have dressed only seven offensive linemen for games. This year, it looks like it would be eight with Weems, Collins and Mackenzy Bernadeau joining the starters. If Collins could show the ability to play tackle, then maybe the Cowboys could go with Bernadeau and him as the gameday backups.

I wonder if Jameill Showers can play his way onto the roster. At first when I saw him do some special teams work I viewed it mostly as a lark. But if he can show in the preseason games, beginning with Thursday's game against San Diego, that he has something at quarterback then there could be a spot with him on the 53. Dustin Vaughan has not been sharp in camp but has moments in team drills that are OK. He's is by no means a lock. It was noteworthy that Showers took the third-team work in Sunday's practice before Vaughan. If Showers can show some ability to make plays as a quarterback and combine that with some special teams ability, he might bring enough value to make it worth keeping him as the third quarterback.