One scouts take on Escobar

[Galian Beast]

I understand where I misinterpreted Bob's chart. They use 2TEs more than I had stated.

The reality is that we're going to see 2 or more tight ends on the field 60-70 percent of the time this year. That constitutes calling it your base offense, and it constitutes drafting Gavin Escobar in the 2nd round. The kid is going to be a playmaker among many other playmakers, and I'm excited for that. His blocking is somewhat immaterial.

 

[Hoofbite]

The reality is that we're going to see 2 or more tight ends on the field 60-70 percent of the time this year. That constitutes calling it your base offense, and it constitutes drafting Gavin Escobar in the 2nd round. The kid is going to be a playmaker among many other playmakers, and I'm excited for that. His blocking is somewhat immaterial.

This we'll have to disagree on. Without the threat of blocking I don't think teams will cover him with a LB, which is what you want. Why would they?

 

[Galian Beast]

This we'll have to disagree on. Without the threat of blocking I don't think teams will cover him with a LB, which is what you want. Why would they?

You cover him with a defensive back, and he is going to have a MUCH easier time blocking them than a wide receiver would. That's the reality that escapes a lot of people.

 

[Hoofbite]

You cover him with a defensive back, and he is going to have a MUCH easier time blocking them than a wide receiver would. That's the reality that escapes a lot of people.

That's the perception, not reality. Will he get enough snaps and win those battles frequently enough to force an adjustment that benefits him in the passing game remains to be seen.

 

[jobberone]

In what way?

You can't justify all the resources dedicated to the 2TE offense while at the same time saying the team isn't going to be utilized that often.

"We're going to emphasize the 2TE offense so we can run it about half the time".

That doesn't make any sense at all. It's either effective and becomes the predominant feature of your offense or it's ineffective and you don't use it. Saying it can be both really effective and sparingly used is irrational. Why would you not use something that works?

I don't think they'll ever be close to NE in terms of snaps for each TE because they have capable receivers. That said, if you don't think they're trying to close that gap, the only alternative is that they're wasting their time by dedicating resources to something that they aren't going to get the most out of.

Just how often to you think teams run the 12, 13, and 14? We'll be in the 12 about half the time. Now you very well may see a TE and 3 WRs on the field but at times that WR will be Escobar. That's not a 12. I expect to see that in the RZ some. There may be some games when it's higher and lower. The definition of effective here is not as much the quantity of snaps in the 12+ but how successful we are out of it. You just have to run many other formations

People keep talking about Escobar as a TE in the traditional sense and are all over the blocking issue. He's a move hybrid TE. He's likely never going to be an inline blocker but he could develop into a decent one in a couple of years although I wouldn't count on it. What he is going to have to do quickly is to block as a WR and get better as an H and F back. That should be something he can be decent at in time. Right now this guy is a move hybrid WR/TE with emphasis on the WR part for now. BTW, we have plenty of formations where the Y splits wide even with Witten as the Y. Escobar can get snaps as the H, Y, X and maybe some at F.

 

[shank]

Correct. He is not going to take advantage of mismatches.

Why the 2-TE system works is that you can catch a team in their base defense, flex out the TE who has WR skills and get the mismatch.

If he is no threat to block successfully, he's basically a king-sized WR with nothing but down the field build up speed with no quickness.

We have enough skilled receivers, we don't need that.

ekk..i was fearful of that. Definitely a player who could use full offseason training program. I do expect him to be a threat...just not as much as we want this year.

 

[Common Sense]

Give Escobar a year in the weight room and a couple of years with Witten guiding him. Think of this as a guy like Tanney who is apprenticing for Romo's job.

Why would anyone want to think of a 2nd round player as a street free agent who will never start a game in the NFL?

 

[TwoDeep3]

Why would anyone want to think of a 2nd round player as a street free agent who will never start a game in the NFL?

Sometimes I forget there are folks who cannot think outside of the box.

 

[tupperware]

Or maybe they are planning for the days when Witten isn't with the team.

Maybe they should be planning more around protecting our franchise QB and our next one.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Maybe they should be planning more around protecting our franchise QB and our next one.

Preaching to the choir, buddy.

 

[Common Sense]

Sometimes I forget there are folks who cannot think outside of the box.

Is that what you're calling it?

 

[xwalker]

That's really how the 2TE system works. You get to the line and adjust based on how the defense is playing you. If they're covering with a LB you audible into a passing play to create the mismatch. If they're covering with a DB, you audible into a running play to create the mismatch that you seek.

You have just explained why Escobar can be successful. He can block DBs. It will be an advantage to the Cowboys if they run the ball with Escobar blocking a DB. It will also be an advantage if Escobar runs passing routes against LBs.

They just need to keep him out on 3rd and short. They kept Andre Smith for that role.