How will we play Escobar?

[Idgit]

I don't think I ever saw a direct reason that they gave up on Hanna so quickly and took escobar.

I think they really wanted to have two guys, and one of them a replacement to Witten. But, yeah, Hanna fell out of the picture, sort of, as a result.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't think I ever saw a direct reason that they gave up on Hanna so quickly and took escobar.

They didn't give up on Hanna. He was the starting H-back and Escobar backed up there and Witten at the Y pretty much all season.

Hanna was not very good. Missed blocks and showed no power in the run game and dropped passes in the four games I have watched recently.

Hanna had his shot and hopefully he gets better or Escobar who flashed better playmaking ability gets the H-back role.

 

[Bullflop]

I don't think I ever saw a direct reason that they gave up on Hanna so quickly and took escobar.

I've seen it mentioned lately where the team expects their TEs to block as well as catch and not be one-trick ponies. More often than not, they are routinely expected to block far more often than catch and Hanna didn't perform in that area as they expected. Escobar has reportedly made progress building up his strength in the offseason and is due to be tested in the minicamps and TC. According to Witten, GE is working hard to improve his blocking and overall game. He's also predicting good things from him. Linehan also is expressing plans to use him liberally in the preseason. You're right about detailed reports on Hanna being scarce (not doing well.)

 

[theSHOW]

But how do you feel about Escobar lining up as an extra WR? We seem to play some of our best ball when we run 5 WR sets. But I think Escobar is too talented to only use in 2 TE sets. We need to find a way to get him on the field more.

The Mexican Connection will continue to fire this year. I would not be surprised to see Escobar in on over 300 snaps.

 

[Blackspider214]

Escobar is a terrible blocker and very soft in that aspect. I believe that was a huge reason he was not out on the field much. We want our TEs to be able to also block. Witten has always been very good at that.

 

[Hoofbite]

The Mexican Connection will continue to fire this year. I would not be surprised to see Escobar in on over 300 snaps.

That would be low, IMO.

 

[OhSnap]

The Mexican Connection will continue to fire this year. I would not be surprised to see Escobar in on over 300 snaps.

One day in training camp there will be someone doing things that Witten can't do.

 

[AbeBeta]

Hanna is really the forgotten man on offense.

Didn't give us much to remember himself by

 

[xwalker]

Didn't give us much to remember himself by

It was really odd that they used Hanna as the blocking TE. Also, the few pass routes that he ran were just shallow dump-off types. As a smallish TE terrific speed, both of these seem like the opposite of his strength. They had another guy that was a better blocker but they eventually cut him. I guess that Hanna just knew the assignment better.

 

[AbeBeta]

It was really odd that they used Hanna as the blocking TE. Also, the few pass routes that he ran were just shallow dump-off types. As a smallish TE terrific speed, both of these seem like the opposite of his strength. They had another guy that was a better blocker but they eventually cut him. I guess that Hanna just knew the assignment better.

Andre Smith wasn't it? I think really it shows how this offense doesn't place value on TEs who can't be a threat in the pass game. That seems consistent with the issues we saw last year with Romo's audibles out of run. If that is a focus of the O, then you have to use a good pass catcher as the blocking TE

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Andre Smith wasn't it? I think really it shows how this offense doesn't place value on TEs who can't be a threat in the pass game. That seems consistent with the issues we saw last year with Romo's audibles out of run. If that is a focus of the O, then you have to use a good pass catcher as the blocking TE

Man, makes me wish Martellus Bennett wasn't such a numb skull. That guy really had all the physical tools you would want in a second TE. That's why I'm more open to drafting a non-RKG than a guy with mental/personality problems. People who have made mistakes (like DUIs, bar fights, missing practice) can usually get whipped into shape with the right guidance. But then you have guys like Aaron Lynch who are their own worst enemies. Everybody has a friend of family member like that. Someone so much potential who just always gets in their own way. It's pretty sad.

 

[BigStar]

Folks are confusing the OP's point in that he is saying use Escobar AS WELL as Williams. We didn't use Esco @ ALL last season and the justification was that he couldn't block, etc. As mentioned by JoeyBoy, line him up wide if that is the reason he is not on the field. If you invest a 2nd rounder on a luxury position, you better USE him to justify the choice. His point was pretty clear. I guess it just easier to point out that TW is our #2 WR? That is not the topic here.

 

[xwalker]

Andre Smith wasn't it? I think really it shows how this offense doesn't place value on TEs who can't be a threat in the pass game. That seems consistent with the issues we saw last year with Romo's audibles out of run. If that is a focus of the O, then you have to use a good pass catcher as the blocking TE

That makes sense in theory, but the routes that Hanna ran were so short and simplistic that even just an OK reciever should have been able to run them. An OLineman could probably run a 3 yard route into the flat.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

Hopefully Linehan has a better clue of how to run a two TE offense than Garrett......................

 

[theSHOW]

That would be low, IMO.

but you like the guns?

 

[jobberone]

TWill has proven to be a more legitimate wr than Escobar. Don't know what else Williams had to do last year to be considered legitimate for some here.

Lining Escobar up as say a W doesn't move Williams off the field necessarily. You can put Escobar at the W, H, or F. You could line him up with Dez as a X or Z esp in the RZ. He's not as fast as a WR but he's a big target with good hands.

 

[junk]

Hopefully Linehan has a better clue of how to run a two TE offense than Garrett......................

My personal opinion is that the two TE offense really isn't the huge mismatch that coaches think it will be on paper. In theory, it sounds great. I'm in a balanced formation where you don't know if I'll run or pass. It forces a defense to pick a personnel package and you exploit whatever mismatch it gives you. If they bring in a nickel back, run the ball. If they go into a run based defense, hurt them in the passing game.

Unfortunately, it never really works. Mainly because a TE that is an efficient enough blocker in the run game to exploit this advantage usually isn't a good enough receiver to stretch the field and burn a team in the passing game. And you need to find two of those guys to make it work.

A two-TE set is a fine change of pace type of offense, but it isn't worth investing multiple high draft picks trying to make it work. No one really has except maybe NE. If I had to guess, I'd say most offense are more efficient with three WRs. I'd have rather kept Scott Chandler to try to make that work than drafting Escobar.

Having said all of that, Linehan did get like 7 touchdowns out of Fauria last year, so maybe he can do that with Escobar to try to salvage that draft pick.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

I don't think I ever saw a direct reason that they gave up on Hanna so quickly and took escobar.

Blocking TE ... and Escobar has the frame to develop into an excellent blocker, he already had the hands and route running ability. Still it was/is a perplexing choice in the 2nd round of the 2013 Draft.

Apparently the two TE Offense only works when you have Tom Brady.