A thought at TE

[Stash]

I started this detailing the early recent picks who played a lot as rookies. Then the *2nd* TEs who also did so.

If that 2nd TE is our best TE, which wouldn't be hard, he'll play 90% of our snaps. He'll play plenty if he's just our 2nd best TE.

There's no basis whatsoever for you to be claiming anything close to the "90% of our snaps" that you're trying to. In fact, history shows the exact opposite to be true.

 

[buybuydandavis]

There's no basis whatsoever for you to be claiming anything close to the "90% of our snaps" that you're trying to. In fact, history shows the exact opposite to be true.

Our discussion:
There's no use in picking a 2nd TE high because he won't play. We should take Eifert. - Eifert doesn't fit us, and a 2nd rounder can easily start for us.
Buh buh 2nd rounders don't get play time. - Yeah they do.
Buh buh 2nd round TEs don't get starts and play time. - Yeah they do.
Buh buh there's no way it can be 90%. - Witten would play 99% of snaps. Swaim was playing 90%+ of snaps til he got injured. Our best TE stays on the field. All the TEs we have left are borderline PS players. And we play lots of 2 TEs.

 

[Stash]

Our discussion:
There's no use in picking a 2nd TE high because he won't play. We should take Eifert. - Eifert doesn't fit us, and a 2nd rounder can easily start for us.

How does Eifert "not fit us"?

Buh buh 2nd rounders don't get play time. - Yeah they do.

No, they dont, and they haven't, despite you throwing out your "90% number as if it were anywhere close to true.

Buh buh 2nd round TEs don't get starts and play time. - Yeah they do.

How many starts did 2018 draft pick Dalton Schultz get before Swaim was injured? No, they don't.

Buh buh there's no way it can be 90%. - Witten would play 99% of snaps. Swaim was playing 90%+ of snaps til he got injured. Our best TE stays on the field. All the TEs we have left are borderline PS players. And we play lots of 2 TEs.

And Swaim has been here four years! Thanks for proving my point!

 

[buybuydandavis]

How does Eifert "not fit us"?

No, they dont, and they haven't, despite you throwing out your "90% number as if it were anywhere close to true.

How many starts did 2018 draft pick Dalton Schultz get before Swaim was injured? No, they don't.

And Swaim has been here four years! Thanks for proving my point!

Great of you to ignore everything I said. Have a nice delusion.

 

[Stash]

Great of you to ignore everything I said. Have a nice delusion.

You first!

 

[eromeopolk]

Here is a bigger thought at TE....Name me the Boise St. Tight Ends in the NFL? Maybe because of talent or game plan Kellen Moore's football past does use the TE a lot. Even the Rams whose offense everyone is talking about, does not showcase the TE. So the need may not be as glaring as DT, S, OL, and back up RB.

 

[Dalmations202]

IMO,
1st round - player should be starting by 6th week of the season -- exception is QB who can get up to 2 years.
2nd -3rd rounders -- players should be starting at end of year or the first of the next year.
4-7 are players with huge upsides, but you have to develop them to get them there.

So if you see 2 TE's that might start -- then by all means go get one early. If not, then you already have 4 developmental ones. If they won't start by game 6 then don't take them round one. If won't within a year, then they are a 4th or better. You have 4 when you don't need but 2-3 already not providing enough for the team.

Of course this goes for every position on the field, so if it is a DT or a S or OL -- then by all means go there as well.

Draft is for restocking, and upgrade......FA is to get the team in a position to compete.

 

[cowboyschmps3]

I've been ruminating about what the Cowboys might do at TE. I really liked how both Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz finished the season, outside of the injury to Jarwin late. Given that, and the youth of both guys, I'm opposed to investing our top pick in the 2019 second round on adding another young player to the mix. Virtually all players take at least a year or two to get fully up to speed with the NFL game.


Jarwin and Schultz are both hitting that point in 2019, and any rookie, however talented, is going to behind either or both in that learning curve. So if you use your top pick there, the odds of proper return in 2019 are slim and none. And I would rather use that pick on improving the trenches anyway. Give me a defensive tackle or offensive guard.

But, if the team felt they needed to improve, I'd go with a veteran.

Now, this idea is fraught with risk, but also with huge reward. My idea would be to sign former Bengals TE Tyler Eifert.

Now, the obvious risk. Eifert has been hurt - a lot - these past three seasons. And has never been the picture of health during his entire NFL career. He's suffered a myriad of injuries, including coming off of a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2018 season. That's where the huge risk comes in, and that's why a player this good is even available. High risk, high reward.

And it's the Jarwin and Schultz factors that actually make me feel OK with taking that risk. Even if or when Eifert does get injured again, you would have not one, but two backup options in place, continuing to gain experience. The Cowboys would have great insurance

But when Eifert has played? He's been a Pro Bowl caliber player and regarded as one of the best in the league in 2015. He's a willing blocker, if not a great one, but he's a matchup nightmare in the passing game. Fast enough to force teams to cover with a defensive back, big enough at 6'6" to tower over them and make plays. Versatile enough to line up outside as well.

Eifert was signed tyo a one year, $5 million range prove it deal in Cincinnati last year. And given he had another injury, he didn't prove it. So, his cost should be in that same area, or possibly even cheaper. I don't see anywhere else that you might be able to find a veteran, Pro Bowl talent near that cost.

Oh, and did I mention that his college roommate and brother-in-law is our own Zack Martin? I'd consider that to be a big plus in the equation as well.

So rather than spending out\r best draft asset and hoping that a guy develops in a year or two, I'm rolling the dice on a proven talent and injury risk. I think we have the youth and depth to do that.

I'm curious to see what everyone's thoughts are on this idea?

This is one of the things I hope happens, besides he can stay with Zach while he settles in.

 

[SSoup]

Eifert is another sick lame lazy player . We're past that. Sign Cook off the Raiders.

I've not followed Bengals media coverage enough to have heard whatever whispers you've heard about Eifert being lazy. But I'd be happy if the team took a flyer on a veteran like Eifert in addition to hopefully having the draft fall in a way where we also add a mid-round TE pick who leans more towards the passing game side of the spectrum than the run-blocking side. Sign a vet, draft a nice prospect, continue to develop Jarwin and Schultz. That's about as good a plan as there is.

Eifert's yards per reception (12.1, pretty fine territory for a TE) and TD frequency (21 TDs in only 43 games played and only 32 starts) mean he's a very high upside guy who. If the stars align and we catch a break and he stays healthy (or even if he misses time, if we catch a break and he's healthy at the most crucial time, for the big playoff push or playoff run), he could be a productive weapon.

I suspect his health will dampen his value to the point that he'll be a relatively cheap sign anyway. Like, strong backup money. He's been in the league 6 years and only played 43 games. And 28 of those 43 games during two seasons, meaning the remaining 15 games were spread out over 4 miserable injury-ruined seasons. Yikes.

Our history with high-upside unreliable flakes suggests we'd probably be cool with that gamble, and we'd just hope he stumbles into a healthy year or his healthy stretch comes during a crucial time of the schedule (ideally a playoff run) and takes us to another level and puts our team over the top. I mean, this sounds like one of the d-linemen with drug or mental health problems who we routinely gamble on in the hope that they'll give us some big sacks in the few games they ever actually suit up for.

The question is how he'll make his decision where to sign.

Feels like a Patriot signing waiting to happen, to me. They get a low-cost, high-upside lottery ticket like they often enjoy. He gets to play with a big name old QB he's coveted for years, and in a TE-friendly scheme (not all QBs or schemes have a knack for making good use of the TE position). And he might even get himself a Super Bowl ring whether he stays healthy or gets shelved in September with a season-ending injury. And I think, unless I'm messing up the timeline in my head, he was at Notre Dame with Charlie Weis, so that's probably a point in his favor for Belichick.

 

[Corso]

I've been ruminating about what the Cowboys might do at TE. I really liked how both Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz finished the season, outside of the injury to Jarwin late. Given that, and the youth of both guys, I'm opposed to investing our top pick in the 2019 second round on adding another young player to the mix. Virtually all players take at least a year or two to get fully up to speed with the NFL game.


Jarwin and Schultz are both hitting that point in 2019, and any rookie, however talented, is going to behind either or both in that learning curve. So if you use your top pick there, the odds of proper return in 2019 are slim and none. And I would rather use that pick on improving the trenches anyway. Give me a defensive tackle or offensive guard.

But, if the team felt they needed to improve, I'd go with a veteran.

Now, this idea is fraught with risk, but also with huge reward. My idea would be to sign former Bengals TE Tyler Eifert.

Now, the obvious risk. Eifert has been hurt - a lot - these past three seasons. And has never been the picture of health during his entire NFL career. He's suffered a myriad of injuries, including coming off of a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2018 season. That's where the huge risk comes in, and that's why a player this good is even available. High risk, high reward.

And it's the Jarwin and Schultz factors that actually make me feel OK with taking that risk. Even if or when Eifert does get injured again, you would have not one, but two backup options in place, continuing to gain experience. The Cowboys would have great insurance

But when Eifert has played? He's been a Pro Bowl caliber player and regarded as one of the best in the league in 2015. He's a willing blocker, if not a great one, but he's a matchup nightmare in the passing game. Fast enough to force teams to cover with a defensive back, big enough at 6'6" to tower over them and make plays. Versatile enough to line up outside as well.

Eifert was signed tyo a one year, $5 million range prove it deal in Cincinnati last year. And given he had another injury, he didn't prove it. So, his cost should be in that same area, or possibly even cheaper. I don't see anywhere else that you might be able to find a veteran, Pro Bowl talent near that cost.

Oh, and did I mention that his college roommate and brother-in-law is our own Zack Martin? I'd consider that to be a big plus in the equation as well.

So rather than spending out\r best draft asset and hoping that a guy develops in a year or two, I'm rolling the dice on a proven talent and injury risk. I think we have the youth and depth to do that.

I'm curious to see what everyone's thoughts are on this idea?

We know Dak can take advantage of talent. What more needs to be said?