In a move that was somehow both surprising and predictable at the same time, the Dallas Cowboys released Allen Hurns just before departing for training camp in Oxnard, Calif., on Thursday.

It was surprising because of how well-regarded Hurns seemed to be by his fellow teammates and the coaching staff. Hurns embodied Garrett's "right kind of guy" mantra and he sacrificed his body for the well-being of the team. Also, Hurns was the most well-rounded backup receiver on the roster, as he has the ability to back up the X, Z and slot receiver positions in a pinch.

Nevertheless, like most things, it all came down to money. Dallas saved roughly $5 million against the cap by cutting Hurns, and once he declined the pay cut the team offered, it all but sealed his fate.

On a personal level, it's not fun to see such a hard worker and well-respected teammate lose his job. Hurns worked extremely hard to rehab his gruesome ankle injury to the point where he was ready to participate in camp. However, in a hard cap sport, the financial ramifications often beat out the personal ones. It was the right move for the Cowboys to make from a financial standpoint, as they saved millions for a player who wasn't going to be a game-changer.

My dawg Big Hurns 😤 @A1hurns — Antwaun Woods Sr. (@AntwaunWoods_) July 23, 2019

Still, the NFL stops for no one and the pain Hurns' teammates feel regarding his release will quickly make way for additional hope the other wide receivers will have to make Dallas' 53-man roster.

The Cowboys have a lot of young and talented depth at wide receiver, and with Hurns gone, it opens up another slot on the 53-man roster. Which wide receivers benefit most from Hurns' release?

Many have argued that rookies Jon'Vea Johnson and Jalen Guyton stand to benefit the most. However, Hurns' release likely has little impact on Johnson or Guyton's roster chances, as his role varies greatly from the potential roles of either.

If Johnson or Guyton make the roster, it's going to be because they're younger and cheaper than Tavon Austin, or the coaching staff wanted to keep an extra receiver who can stretch the field.

This isn't to say Guyton and Johnson don't benefit at all, as with a finite number of roster spots available, the fewer players competing for those spots, the better their chances of making the roster.

Having said that, there are a couple of receivers who stand to benefit more from Hurns' release.

Who?

Let's dive in to find out:

Noah Brown

FILE - Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown (85) is pictured during OTAs at The Star in Frisco on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News) (Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer)

Standing at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Noah Brown is the only receiver on the roster who was bigger than Hurns (6-2, 201), whose release should give Brown an easier avenue to the regular-season roster.

So far in his career, Brown has been heralded more for his blocking ability, which is exceedingly rare at the wide receiver position. This idea bares fruit when you consider that in 136 snaps played on offense last season, Brown was tasked with blocking on 94 of them (69.1% of the time).

Hurns' release could give way to Brown earning a larger role in the offense, one where his usage is more akin to a typical receiver than a blocking tight end.

With Hurns gone, Brown now has a unique skill set when compared with the rest of the backup receivers. Outside of the starters (Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb), Brown is the only big-bodied possession receiver left on the roster.

If there's any receiver who can step into Hurns' role, it's Brown, who has the size, physicality and ability to play multiple receiver spots in the offense.

But for Brown to truly fill the void, he's going to need to develop in some key areas, too -- namely his route-running ability. Even though he has been the best blocking receiver on the roster, he's struggled to earn a big role in the offense because of injuries and a raw receiving tool set.

Brown's route-running ability has left a lot to be desired, as he lacks the nuance to manipulate cornerbacks and create separation with his routes. His suspect route-running gets exacerbated by his lack of high-end speed. If a speedster at receiver runs poor routes, at least he has breakaway speed to fall back on. Brown doesn't.

Typically, the bigger receivers will fall back on their physicality to create separation, but Brown is inconsistent there as well, as he is too easily re-routed or knocked off balance in the contact window. Moreover, he needs to learn how to use his size and strength to create open throwing windows for the quarterback.

If Brown is able to make some progress in those key areas, he should be able to benefit most from Hurns' release.

Cedrick Wilson

FILE - Cowboys wide receiver Cedrick Wilson (16) runs past cornerback Chris Westry (39) during OTAs on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, at The Star in Frisco. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News) (Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

If Brown proves not to be ready for the opportunity, then Cedrick Wilson has the next best shot. Wilson, a sixth-round pick in 2018 who missed the entirety of his rookie season because of a shoulder injury, has an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster this season. However, he will also see his chances improve greatly in Hurns' absence.

Even though Brown has more appealing potential, Wilson is the backup receiver whose skill set is most akin to Hurns'. Wilson has decent size (6-2, 199) to go with average speed (4.55) and smooth route-running ability.

Unlike Brown, Wilson's lack of deep speed doesn't prevent him from separating from coverage, as he proved to be a much more refined and nuanced route-runner in college than Brown. Wilson does a good job, especially for his age, of varying the pacing of his route, which enables him to better manipulate the movement of a defensive back. Wilson also understands how to attack a defensive back's leverage to create space and separation at the break point in a route.

Wilson is by no means a perfect route runner, but he's much further along in his development than Brown.

Cedrick Wilson is smooooooooth pic.twitter.com/ho2g2bSApA — Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 25, 2018

Wilson isn't going to blow by any defensive back with his speed alone and he's not going to out-muscle a safety at the catch point, but he will do a great job of creating separation in and out of his breaks and finding the weak spots between zone coverage.

Wilson has the skill set, much like Hurns, to back up all the receiver positions, if asked. If the Cowboys are looking for a player who can replicate Hurns' role, Wilson may be the best man for the job.

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Twitter: @JohnOwning