James Hanna- The Good Soldier

[Corso]

From stuff I've been seeing, this guy is about to get dropped like a bad habit for cap space and all he did was be the good soldier and become what many thought he wasn't suited for: Blocking. And he did it well.

He was known as a guy that could go out and catch the ball though...

6th round pick, I know, so he wasn't a perfect player on either side, but dude has receiving skills and speed, but what did we do?

We turned him into another blocker. No expansion of his natural talents, but a shoe-horning and a blunting of talent.

My question is thus: Why?

 

[Alexander]

Because Stephen Jones structured his contract that way.

 

[Corso]

Because Stephen Jones structured his contract that way.

Ze Curse! ZE CUUUUURSE!!!

 

[rynochop]

He looked like he had some potential on a handful of plays early on, but then he didn't, ok player. But yeah, if there was a hof for 6th rounders he might get a few votes, so a solid pic

 

[Corso]

Because Stephen Jones structured his contract that way.

And you didn't read, or ignored, the part about the blunting of talent apparently.
Something I don't expect from my Main Man.

 

[Alexander]

And you didn't read, or ignored, the part about the blunting of talent apparently.
Something I don't expect from my Main Man.

I am learning not to question the genius of this offensive staff. It simply isn't wise.

Plus, when you have Geoff Swaim on the same roster, somebody has to have their talent blunted. There is only one football.

 

[charron]

Good soldier? Do you remember Hannah signing a contract and then boom he was out for all of 2016 with an injury. So he has been paid for 2 years and played 1. We don't use tight ends to run routes and catch...that is not the scheme no matter how many fans complain about it.

 

[Alexander]

Good soldier? Do you remember Hannah signing a contract and then boom he was out for all of 2016 with an injury. So he has been paid for 2 years and played 1.

That's it. Get it all out.

Blame the player because he got hurt and we did not get our money's worth out of what was not a great contract for the team.

 

[Corso]

I am learning not to question the genius of this offensive staff. It simply isn't wise.

Plus, when you have Geoff Swaim on the same roster, somebody has to have their talent blunted. There is only one football.

Nice add of the Swaim... Didn't even see it when I hit reply.

Dang... you got me. Swaim... you magnificent *******!

 

[Idgit]

He got a pretty good deal from the Cowboys for his level of play. And he's been playing behind Jason Witten most of his career. Now I know we're all pretending Jason Witten can't play anymore and also collectively agreeing to pretend that's been the case for many years now, but the reality actually is that it hasn't. So the guy got paid to be a decent backup, until this year when we'll give Swaim that role and make room on the bottom of the roster for Gathers and/or Jarmin. All of whom are talented and cheaper.

 

[Corso]

Good soldier? Do you remember Hannah signing a contract and then boom he was out for all of 2016 with an injury. So he has been paid for 2 years and played 1. We don't use tight ends to run routes and catch...that is not the scheme no matter how many fans complain about it.

What a traitor, getting an injury in a contact sport! We should deport Sean Lee to ISIS!
And uh... we've been looking for a Witt replacement for a hot minute, otherwise we wouldn't have drafted TE's in the 2nd round.

Don't talk to me about 2 TE sets. That stuff is fantasy. One guy blocks and Witt goes out on a route, if he's not blocking also.
And the other guy? 2 routes a game.

 

[Corso]

He got a pretty good deal from the Cowboys for his level of play. And he's been playing behind Jason Witten most of his career. Now I know we're all pretending Jason Witten can't play anymore and also collectively agreeing to pretend that's been the case for many years now, but the reality actually is that it hasn't. So the guy got paid to be a decent backup, until this year when we'll give Swaim that role and make room on the bottom of the roster for Gathers and/or Jarmin. All of whom are talented and cheaper.

When you play behind Jason Witten, you play WAAAAAY behind Jason Witten.

 

[OmerV]

From stuff I've been seeing, this guy is about to get dropped like a bad habit for cap space and all he did was be the good soldier and become what many thought he wasn't suited for: Blocking. And he did it well.

He was known as a guy that could go out and catch the ball though...

6th round pick, I know, so he wasn't a perfect player on either side, but dude has receiving skills and speed, but what did we do?

We turned him into another blocker. No expansion of his natural talents, but a shoe-horning and a blunting of talent.

My question is thus: Why?

I think fans often go overboard questioning everything, to the point they often try and make mountains out of molehills, but I don't think that's the case with questioning our use of TEs. Years ago the team said they wanted to have a 2 TE offense in which both TEs would have roles as receivers. They then used a 2nd round pick on Fasano, and a couple of years later used a 2nd round pick on Bennett, and neither was ever incorporated into the offense as a consistent element in the passing game. Same with Escobar several years after that. I think with Hanna we have to understand part of his effectiveness on a handful of plays has been that the opposing defense wasn't prepared since the Cowboys almost never use him as a receiver, but that doesn't change the fact that he has proven to be very capable of catching the ball when given a chance. Obviously most of those years Witen was, and should have been, the main pass receiving TE, but even 20-25 receptions a year by Hanna would have been enough to add another element to the offense. It's a head scratcher.

 

[dwreck27]

With witten in front of him what do you expect?

Our offensive staff has never been creative enough to utilize multiple TE looks like the pats did back when with Grong and Hernandez

He had a role that needed filling and he did it well.. and got paid well do his niche

 

[charron]

What a traitor, getting an injury in a contact sport! We should deport Sean Lee to ISIS!
And uh... we've been looking for a Witt replacement for a hot minute, otherwise we wouldn't have drafted TE's in the 2nd round.

Don't talk to me about 2 TE sets. That stuff is fantasy. One guy blocks and Witt goes out on a route, if he's not blocking also.
And the other guy? 2 routes a game.

Dude never made it to training camp. He entered the offseason on PUP then went straight to surgery. Maybe you should look stuff up sometimes.

 

[Corso]

I think fans often go overboard questioning everything, to the point they often try and make mountains out of molehills, but I don't think that's the case with questioning our use of TEs. Years ago the team said they wanted to have a 2 TE offense in which both TEs would have roles as receivers. They then used a 2nd round pick on Fasano, and a couple of years later used a 2nd round pick on Bennett, and neither was ever incorporated into the offense as a consistent element in the passing game. Same with Escobar several years after that. I think with Hanna we have to understand part of his effectiveness on a handful of plays has been that the opposing defense wasn't prepared since the Cowboys almost never use him as a receiver, but that doesn't change the fact that he has proven to be very capable of catching the ball when given a chance. Obviously most of those years Witen was, and should have been, the main pass receiving TE, but even 20-25 receptions a year by Hanna would have been enough to add another element to the offense. It's a head scratcher.

Thank you...
Thank you.

 

[Corso]

Dude never made it to training camp. He entered the offseason on PUP then went straight to surgery. Maybe you should look stuff up sometimes.

And what is your point?

 

[Idgit]

When you play behind Jason Witten, you play WAAAAAY behind Jason Witten.

We play 2TE sets ~40% of the time in Dallas. And Swaim and Hanna both play STs, too. So, 500-600 snaps/year for the backup. Swaim plays about the same. Witt got ~1200 snaps last season, for reference.

 

[Corso]

We play 2TE sets ~40% of the time in Dallas. And Swaim and Hanna both play STs, too. So, 500-600 snaps/year for the backup. Swaim plays about the same. Witt got ~1200 snaps last season, for reference.

And tell me their assignments and in relation to what Witt was tasked to do.
Por favor...

 

[Idgit]

And tell me their assignments and in relation to what Witt was tasked to do.
Por favor...

You're asking what options they were in the passing game, most likely? I don't know more than 'below Jason,' if that's what you're getting at. But that's where both of those guys should be, anyway.