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Cowboys' tight ends behind Jason Witten could change
2:53 PM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer breaks down the Dallas Cowboys, position by position, analyzing what the players did in 2015, what they can do in the future and what the team can do to improve at the position in 2016.
TIGHT ENDS
Under contract: Jason Witten, Gavin Escobar, Geoff Swaim
Free agents: James Hanna
A look back: At some point Witten’s production has to drop off, but there’s no sign of it. He battled through knee, ankle and rib injuries to play in every game in 2015, establishing the team record for consecutive games played and recording the 1,000th catch of his career.
He led the Cowboys with 77 catches for 713 yards and three touchdowns, and an argument can be made he should have been used more, especially in the absence of Tony Romo. Witten averaged 9.3 yards per catch, a career low, but he was not asked to run the seams or stretch the field as much, therefore making it hard for him to get yards after the catch.
Escobar’s season was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon in Week 15 against the Jets but he caught just eight passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. The inability to make Escobar more a part of the passing game falls more on the coaches than the player. They knew what he was when he was picked in the second round in 2013 and have not been able to work him into a larger role.
Hanna, who caught nine passes for 79 yards, was able to keep Escobar out of the 12 personnel grouping because of his blocking. He is an underrated player, willing to do the secondary jobs behind Witten.
The Cowboys traded back into the seventh round last spring to take Swaim, giving up their sixth-rounder in 2016. He caught just one pass in the four games he played but the Cowboys like his future.
A look ahead: Witten will be going into his 14th year, and will continue to play just about every snap because he deserves to play, not out of deference to his veteran status. Witten’s game has changed the past two years because the offense has changed.
He is being asked to block more, and the Cowboys have produced two of their best running games the past two seasons. Witten turns 34 in May and the Cowboys have to prepare for the possibility he might slow down at some point.
Escobar is in the early stages of rehab from his Achilles surgery. He could open the season on the physically unable to perform list as he works back into shape. He is also going into a contract year, which means he will have to produce in order to secure a second contract from the Cowboys or gain a bigger role with another team in 2017.
Hanna’s return seemed in doubt before Escobar’s injury, but he has value to this team. The problem is another team might be willing to pay him more. It’s not without precedent to see a relatively unknown tight end behind Witten get a better than expected deal in free agency. It happened with John Phillips and the Chargers in 2013.
Swaim is viewed as an on-the-line tight end with the ability to make some plays in the passing game. He will need to add strength, but he is a willing worker and learner and his role should expand in 2016.
A look out: Since Witten has become the starter the Cowboys have drafted three tight ends in the second round (Anthony Fasano, Martellus Bennett and Escobar) and have not figured out a way to work their two-tight end system to its fullest.
Fasano and Bennett went on to starting jobs elsewhere and succeeded.
Do the Cowboys draft another tight end early? There seems to be too many other needs, especially if Witten is going to play almost all of the snaps.
The best move would be to keep Hanna at a reasonable price. Landing a veteran in free agency is tough because the player will know his opportunities will be limited behind Witten.
The draft is tricky to figure because of the spread systems being used across the college game. The Cowboys value a tight end that can block as well as catch, and there aren’t many of them.
2:53 PM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer breaks down the Dallas Cowboys, position by position, analyzing what the players did in 2015, what they can do in the future and what the team can do to improve at the position in 2016.
TIGHT ENDS
Under contract: Jason Witten, Gavin Escobar, Geoff Swaim
Free agents: James Hanna
A look back: At some point Witten’s production has to drop off, but there’s no sign of it. He battled through knee, ankle and rib injuries to play in every game in 2015, establishing the team record for consecutive games played and recording the 1,000th catch of his career.
He led the Cowboys with 77 catches for 713 yards and three touchdowns, and an argument can be made he should have been used more, especially in the absence of Tony Romo. Witten averaged 9.3 yards per catch, a career low, but he was not asked to run the seams or stretch the field as much, therefore making it hard for him to get yards after the catch.
Escobar’s season was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon in Week 15 against the Jets but he caught just eight passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. The inability to make Escobar more a part of the passing game falls more on the coaches than the player. They knew what he was when he was picked in the second round in 2013 and have not been able to work him into a larger role.
Hanna, who caught nine passes for 79 yards, was able to keep Escobar out of the 12 personnel grouping because of his blocking. He is an underrated player, willing to do the secondary jobs behind Witten.
The Cowboys traded back into the seventh round last spring to take Swaim, giving up their sixth-rounder in 2016. He caught just one pass in the four games he played but the Cowboys like his future.
A look ahead: Witten will be going into his 14th year, and will continue to play just about every snap because he deserves to play, not out of deference to his veteran status. Witten’s game has changed the past two years because the offense has changed.
He is being asked to block more, and the Cowboys have produced two of their best running games the past two seasons. Witten turns 34 in May and the Cowboys have to prepare for the possibility he might slow down at some point.
Escobar is in the early stages of rehab from his Achilles surgery. He could open the season on the physically unable to perform list as he works back into shape. He is also going into a contract year, which means he will have to produce in order to secure a second contract from the Cowboys or gain a bigger role with another team in 2017.
Hanna’s return seemed in doubt before Escobar’s injury, but he has value to this team. The problem is another team might be willing to pay him more. It’s not without precedent to see a relatively unknown tight end behind Witten get a better than expected deal in free agency. It happened with John Phillips and the Chargers in 2013.
Swaim is viewed as an on-the-line tight end with the ability to make some plays in the passing game. He will need to add strength, but he is a willing worker and learner and his role should expand in 2016.
A look out: Since Witten has become the starter the Cowboys have drafted three tight ends in the second round (Anthony Fasano, Martellus Bennett and Escobar) and have not figured out a way to work their two-tight end system to its fullest.
Fasano and Bennett went on to starting jobs elsewhere and succeeded.
Do the Cowboys draft another tight end early? There seems to be too many other needs, especially if Witten is going to play almost all of the snaps.
The best move would be to keep Hanna at a reasonable price. Landing a veteran in free agency is tough because the player will know his opportunities will be limited behind Witten.
The draft is tricky to figure because of the spread systems being used across the college game. The Cowboys value a tight end that can block as well as catch, and there aren’t many of them.
