A season after Jason Witten’s retirement, the Dallas Cowboys still have a need at tight end. Replacing a future Hall of Famer is no easy feat so it’s only logical that it would take longer than a season to feel good about who’s in at tight end.
The Cowboys currently have two tight ends who could be pretty serviceable going forward. Fourth round pick Dalton Schultz did a very solid job as the team’s TE2, specially toward the second half of the season. He turned into a pretty good run blocker and despite only racking up 116 yards in 12 catches, he’s a guy the Cowboys’ offense could use even more in the future.
Also on the team is Blake Jarwin, who functioned as the Cowboys’ main tight end for most of 2018. His performance against the New York Giants in week 17 made us wonder whether or not he could be an important target on the Cowboys’ offense.
These two could very well have more in them than what we’ve seen. With a new offensive coordinator in town, tight end is a position the Cowboys could start using way more. As Bobby Belt pointed out on Twitter a few weeks ago, Scott Linehan’s offense doesn’t benefit tight ends very much. Before we give a verdict on what Schultz and Jarwin can do, I’d like to see them work with Kellen Moore’s offense.
One thing you consistently see when Scott Linehan takes over an offense is a drop in the starting tight end's production.
Randy McMichael, Byron Chamberlain, and Jason Witten all saw drops in yards per catch, receptions per game, and yards per game once Linehan took over.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) January 23, 2019
Here’s the thing. If the Cowboys are not taking a tight end in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, are they really upgrading what they already have? I’m not sure we’ll be convinced about that if they draft a player for the position until the third or fourth round. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating for the Cowboys drafting a TE in the second round, because I believe there are more pressing needs on the team. However, signing a veteran free agent might be the better option for upgrading the position.
Should a veteran TE be an option?
This year, there are quite a few interesting names in the tight end market. Veterans such as Jared Cook, Tyler Eifert and even Antonio Gates will be looking for a new team pretty soon. I know, that would be “getting older.” But it could also mean getting better. Building a solid TE committee with a veteran leading Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz could be the way to go for this football team.
Eifert is a great tight end… when he’s on the field. Durability is his biggest weakness, as he hasn’t played more than 10 games since 2016. The Cowboys could take a risk on him and constantly rotate him with Jarwin and Schultz. It may be a huge risk, but it could pay off big time. If the price is right, Eifert should be targeted by the front office.
The 2018 Oakland Raiders had a season to forget, winning only four games. Even still, Jared Cook’s season was impressive. He finished the year with 896 yards and multiple 100-yard games. The biggest issue with Cook is his age. He turns 32 in April. But hey, he’s literally coming off from a career year.
Jesse James is a younger guy who could also be worth it. He’s not an a potent receiver, but he gets it done in the passing game and is one hell of a blocker. James could be a legit, cheaper option for the Cowboys in free agency.
There are a lot of names out there the front office could look at. Charles Clay was just released by the Buffalo Bills and Nick Boyle will be looking for new job after new arrivals pushed him out of the Baltimore Ravens’ roster just to mention a few names.
We’ll see what the front office’s plans are soon enough, but right now, I’d say tight end is a need the Dallas Cowboys should at least try to address in free agency instead of the NFL Draft.
