James Hanna vs Gavin Escobar?

[Idgit]

I know Witten is still productive, but a 12 set with Hanna and Escobar would cause way more matchup problems for defenses.

I happen to agree with that.

I can't imagine we get a chance to find out.

 

[JohnsKey19]

I like Hanna. Surprised the staff felt they needed to use a 2nd rounder on another TE with him on the roster.

 

[1LoyalCowboyFan]

Post a pic, so we know what we're betting on.

:laugh2:

 

[Picksix]

I know Witten is still productive, but a 12 set with Hanna and Escobar would cause way more matchup problems for defenses.

I imagine that's the plan for a couple years down the road.

 

[AbeBeta]

Looks like we are planning on 2 TE as the base package. You need 3 guys to do that. Both Hanna and Escobar will play. The FB... maybe not so much

 

[Mr Cowboy]

All this day dreaming about the "12" package means nothing if Romo is sacked before he takes is 2nd step from center. The reason that it works in NE is that the 5 OL give Brady time. Unless our OL is vastly improved, you need to pare back your dreams and expectations.

Like it or not, this whole season is dependent the improvement of the OL.

 

[Future]

Not if those guys aren't ready for that role.

Well yea, everything in football is predicated on guys knowing their roles :laugh2:

But as much as I like Witten, he does not provide the athleticism of the other two. Getting that combination of speed and size out there could prove deadly.

 

[jobberone]

I don't see our TEs doing the same jobs. Witten is more of a typical TE although a better receiver than blocker. Hanna is a hybrid Hback/TE/WR. Escobar is a TE/WR. If u want to argue Hanna is more WR than Hback ok. I hope Hanna or maybe Escobar can be a decent Hback. I still see a decent possibility we will need a FB. I think the other two TEs will split out more and be used in motion more.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Escobar will steal Hannas job trust me...

Unsubstantiated declarations make very poor reading. WHY do you think Escobar will steal Hannas job?

 

[Eskimo]

The biggest matchup nightmare would be to put in all 3 TEs.

I'd probably put both Wiiten an Escobar in-line and then have Hanna as a motion guy who might move into the slot or might even go and lead like a FB into the line. The key is to just make the matchup difficult for the defense. If the defense wants to focus on sending more big bodies then you move guys out off the line into space to take advantage of receiving matchups. If they want to put a lot of coverage guys out there you can try and focus on running on the edges with the size advantage.

The key to this all working is Hanna being a receiving threat and both Hanna and Escobar being acceptable blockers - especially when working against smaller players like coverage LBs and Safeties. If they can hold up that end of the bargain we can mostly motion them out when there are a bunch of extra LBs in the game to get advantages in coverage.

I think the grouping I'd like to see is mostly Dez with the 3 TEs. Having Dez in there will force them to keep a Safety high and shaded to his side of the field. That should open things up in the running game and short passing game.

 

[Clove]

This is a sweet time to be a tight end because honestly, they will need all of these guys if they are moving more towards a TE packages. Someone could easily go down, plus, there's no real hurry to get Escobar on the field, he's a rookie and Hanna is doing just fine.

 

[BIGDen]

Looks like we are planning on 2 TE as the base package. You need 3 guys to do that. Both Hanna and Escobar will play. The FB... maybe not so much

Exactly. If we are planning to have 2 TEs on the field a lot, then we need a third who can step in when one goes down/needs a break. If all we had was a blocking TE as a 3rd TE, then we would have to change our offense if a TE went down. I wanted a lineman with that 2nd pick, but I understand the Escobar pick better now since we are planning to use this package much more often. I like Hanna a great deal and think he can be a real weapon - he has freakish speed for a TE. Escobar has exceptional height/hands and could be a real red zone threat. Witten is an all-time great. Having 3 TEs that create mismatches (in addition to Dez, Miles and co.) will give defenses fits if we give Romo decent protection.

 

[Fredd]

I love the idea of all 3 being in there at the same time as Dez and Miles in passing situations (empty backfield)...who are you going to cover?

 

[Eskimo]

I love the idea of all 3 being in there at the same time as Dez and Miles in passing situations (empty backfield)...who are you going to cover?

The only problem with this is there isn't a real running threat.

So long as the down and distance dictate there is a chance it could be a running play I still like having a RB in there even if he is flexed out there. That is because the DC still has to account for the possbility that the RB comes in motion to run the ball in the end so he has to have some personnel out there to defend the run.

I wouldn't mind running 1 RB, 3 TEs and 1 WR (Dez). You force them to always double Dez and if they don't you take a shot with him 1-on-1. Now you can move your 3 TEs around in all sorts of ways to try and gain mismatches. You could even move our WR into slot and play 2 TEs wide with 1 TE inline and then see what the defense does if they've come out with a bunch of LBs to defend. If the split out the 2 LBs then you have a chance to run the ball against a bunch of DBs. If they split out their CBs then maybe you get a mismatch for Dez. My point is we can put big bodies out where they can be productive because of size/speed mismatches but then the defense has to pay based on how they adjust which will depend on what players they put out in the first place. I think logic dictates that with 3 TEs out there you stay in the base defense with 4 DBs but two of them are on Dez. Now you have two DBs to try and cover 3 really good receiving TEs so you've got to try and match up with LBs.

Anyhow I think it is an interesting scenario - a 3 TE package in a balanced run/pass situation with an elite WR lined up outside who feasts on 1-on-1 matchups. I think we need to trot this one out regularly and then play uptempo and force the other team to keep up as we switch formations.

 

[Jack-Reacher]

Escobar is faster than he looks. He has hands like glue, will catch anything thrown at him and is a serious redzone threat. I liked the pick and I think in 5 years we will all be talking about how we stole him in the second round. He needs to put on some size and learn to block, not something he was asked to do at SDSU, but he is a nightmare to cover, too big for a Safety and too fast for most linebackers. He runs great routes and should be the heir apparent once Witten hangs up his cleats.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

I'm a big Hannah fan. I definitely don't think we have to worry at TE. I have no idea if Escobar will be good, but I think Hannah will be a threat in the passing game.

 

[joseephuss]

Well yea, everything in football is predicated on guys knowing their roles :laugh2:

Sure, but I don't have faith in a rookie and a still rather raw 2nd year guy being ready to consistently take on that role this season. Perhaps in a couple of years.

But as much as I like Witten, he does not provide the athleticism of the other two. Getting that combination of speed and size out there could prove deadly.

He has never provided that type of athleticism, but he has always been a threat and deadly to opposing defenses. I think he will continue to do so this season as well. I count on that more than some unproven guys although they do have some potential.

The guy just set the record for most receptions by a tight end. That is heaping a lot of expectations on some young guys to think it is better to have them out there rather than Witten. I rather look forward to them being out there at the same time as Witten to be a complimentary force to his reliable service.

 

[links18]

The real question is which one of these tight ends will suffer a major injury in preseason? One of these guys will go down, necessitating playing the other more.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

The real question is which one of these tight ends will suffer a major injury in preseason? One of these guys will go down, necessitating playing the other more.

I think the goal is to be able to run the 2 TE set in case any of the above go down in any scenario.

 

[xwalker]

Unsubstantiated declarations make very poor reading. WHY do you think Escobar will steal Hannas job?

Yes, the "trust me" type post is one of the worst.