Will UDFA Tight End Blake Jarwin make the squad?

[Teague31]

PS bound. Unless RICO flames out there just isn't room on the 53

 

[erod]

Hanna has been with the team since 2012 and has 0 TD, I would not think his job is secured by any means.

They really, really like Hanna. He's a good blocker, and a better receiver than we know. Just not utilized.

But the injury thing is tired. They might be ready to move on for that reason.

 

[Doomsday101]

Yet they gave him a fairly nice 2nd contract. They love Hanna because he developed into a very good blocker. I suspect he could catch passes to if they let him run routes and had a QB that would look past Witten.

Simple question should these other players be given the chance to unseed him?

 

[Section446]

No.

 

[xwalker]

I'll answer your question with a question:

What do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhino?

Elmo?

 

[Doomsday101]

They really, really like Hanna. He's a good blocker, and a better receiver than we know. Just not utilized.

But the injury thing is tired. They might be ready to move on for that reason.

and I expect him to be given a chance to go out and prove himself but I also expect these other guys to have the chance to win the job. Hell if I need an extra blocker I can take a backup OT as some teams do and put them in the eligible TE spot on a given play. I just think Hanna has to show more than just a blocker. Just my opinion.

 

[xwalker]

Dude Hanna has been injured for most of his career. I bet he hasnt played a full season yet.

He didn't miss a game in his 1st three seasons.

Then he missed 2 in 2015 and all of 2016.

That's far from injury prone.

There was no need to say something that was so completely wrong when the info is all on the Internet.

 

[jday]

Elmo?

Hell-if-I-know.

 

[Cowboys22]

Simple question should these other players be given the chance to unseed him?

Everyone in camp has a chance to unseat someone. I simply don't think he can unseat Hanna. I think he will be a PS guy and should have a great shot to make the team the following year. If Hanna or Swaim are injured, his chances go way up.

 

[Alexander]

Now that Hanna and even Swaim appear to be working their way back from injury, I don't see how he has a chance.

 

[Doomsday101]

Everyone in camp has a chance to unseat someone. I simply don't think he can unseat Hanna. I think he will be a PS guy and should have a great shot to make the team the following year. If Hanna or Swaim are injured, his chances go way up.

I don't know if he can or not that is why they have camp. You could be right and Jarwin ends up on PS. I just don't think Hanna play to this point has been good enough to ensure him of anything. I know that sounds as if I am against Hanna but I expect more out of him than what I have seen to this point of his career.

 

[CooterBrown]

Yes, the practice squad.

 

[xwalker]

and I expect him to be given a chance to go out and prove himself but I also expect these other guys to have the chance to win the job. Hell if I need an extra blocker I can take a backup OT as some teams do and put them in the eligible TE spot on a given play. I just think Hanna has to show more than just a blocker. Just my opinion.

Defenses play different personnel against an extra OL than against a TE like Hanna. An extra OL is a key to the defense to load up against the run. The Cowboys in the Garrett as HC or OC era have not done well in Jumbo packages from a percentage perspective. They run better with either 2 TEs or 3 WRs.

I do agree that Hanna does not offer much as a receiver other than the fact that he can catch a pass if they don't cover him and he can run fast if the defense forgets about him.

This is where Rico comes in. If he can live up to his athletic ability, then Hanna won't play much. If not, Swaim actually seems to be a better receiver despite not having 4.4x speed like Hanna.

The funny thing is that people are exclaiming Hanna as a great blocker which is a bit of an exaggeration. The Cowboys prefer precision blocking over brute force but imprecise blocking. For example MartyB was a terrific brute force blocker because he is big and strong; however, he had no precision in terms of knowing the scheme, making certain that he timed his block such that the defender he was blocking was out of the way at the right time AND he couldn't function in the more complicated H-Back role. They had to play John Phillips on a lot of snaps in place of the more physically talented MartyB because Phillips could perform the more precise blocking tasks. Hanna and Swaim can perform the precise blocking role but they can't "blow-up" LBs or get movement on DEs the way MartyB did and the way the Rico should be able to do with his significant size (+20 to +30 pounds) advantage.

Another example is that they often bring the TE across the backfield. It requires quickness and the timing is critical. Witten failed to get across the backfield on many snaps last season. They finally moved away from using him in that role and it worked much better when Swaim did it. This is another example of why an extra OL does not fit the requirements. Most OL are not faster than even the old-man Witten who is now not fast enough to execute this play consistently.

 

[Derinyar]

No. I think we keep 4 TE because we don't want to lose Rico and his potential that they've already spent a year of time on. If this guy makes it through waivers he can be the PS TE this year.

 

[xwalker]

Best undrafted free agent in every NFL training camp http://ble.ac/2v6eNjS

Dallas story

Back in March, the Dallas Cowboys signed franchise legend and longtime tight end Jason Witten to a four-year contract extension. But it contained zero guaranteed money and therefore was an example of NFL salary-cap gymnastics and not an actual commitment.

And you wouldn't expect a long-term commitment to a tight end who's entering his age-35 season. Witten is aging and slowing, with his last 1,000-plus-yard receiving season now way back in 2012. He's at the point in his career when retirement questions are an annual staple of the locker clean-out process after the end of each season.

Soon enough the tight end torch will be passed in Dallas, and there are a handful of developmental options assembling behind Witten. That now includes Blake Jarwin, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State.

Jarwin is a versatile pass-catcher who was used everywhere in college, and that experience alone makes him an asset. He lined up as an in-line tight end, from the slot, as an H-back and was also split out wide. Overall, his targets and opportunities were limited, but Jarwin still left for the draft with a per-catch average of 15 yards.

He has the speed to separate up the seam and the toughness to win jump balls amid chaos up the middle.

"Jarwin has the athleticism to be a matchup player in the pros," wrote Bleacher Report's Matt Miller in his scouting report. "He could easily play as a flex tight end or even a fullback in the right scheme. A tough player with a high work ethic, he has the tools to become a more prolific pass-catcher at the next level than he was in college."

There is a high probability that no team would claim him and they can put him on the practice squad. All other teams had a chance to sign him and didn't. Even Ron Leary was once on the practice squad.

 

[Montanalo]

PS bound. Unless RICO flames out there just isn't room on the 53

I want to know, where's Rico? During the OTA's and the lead up to training camp, a day wouldn't pass without a media story, a CZ thread or some video extolling his potential. Now that training camp has started, nary a word - or have I missed something?

 

[Doomsday101]

Defenses play different personnel against an extra OL than against a TE like Hanna. An extra OL is a key to the defense to load up against the run. The Cowboys in the Garrett as HC or OC era have not done well in Jumbo packages from a percentage perspective. They run better with either 2 TEs or 3 WRs.

I do agree that Hanna does not offer much as a receiver other than the fact that he can catch a pass if they don't cover him and he can run fast if the defense forgets about him.

This is where Rico comes in. If he can live up to his athletic ability, then Hanna won't play much. If not, Swaim actually seems to be a better receiver despite not having 4.4x speed like Hanna.

The funny thing is that people are exclaiming Hanna as a great blocker which is a bit of an exaggeration. The Cowboys prefer precision blocking over brute force but imprecise blocking. For example MartyB was a terrific brute force blocker because he is big and strong; however, he had no precision in terms of knowing the scheme, making certain that he timed his block such that the defender he was blocking was out of the way at the right time AND he couldn't function in the more complicated H-Back role. They had to play John Phillips on a lot of snaps in place of the more physically talented MartyB because Phillips could perform the more precise blocking tasks. Hanna and Swaim can perform the precise blocking role but they can't "blow-up" LBs or get movement on DEs the way MartyB did and the way the Rico should be able to do with his significant size (+20 to +30 pounds) advantage.

Another example is that they often bring the TE across the backfield. It requires quickness and the timing is critical. Witten failed to get across the backfield on many snaps last season. They finally moved away from using him in that role and it worked much better when Swaim did it. This is another example of why an extra OL does not fit the requirements. Most OL are not faster than even the old-man Witten who is now not fast enough to execute this play consistently.

It does not have to be another OT, but heck I have seen DE, LB come in on certain situation around the goal line and be more effective than I have seen from Hanna. As I mentioned he has been with Dallas since 2012 season and did not play at all last season yet I saw no slowdown from the offense last year to make me think Hanna's job was secured. If he can go out and show he can produce as more than just a blocking TE then great. Again not against him I just expect more than I have seen from him. He is a good blocker just not irreplaceable

 

[LocimusPrime]

Best undrafted free agent in every NFL training camp http://ble.ac/2v6eNjS

Dallas story

Back in March, the Dallas Cowboys signed franchise legend and longtime tight end Jason Witten to a four-year contract extension. But it contained zero guaranteed money and therefore was an example of NFL salary-cap gymnastics and not an actual commitment.

And you wouldn't expect a long-term commitment to a tight end who's entering his age-35 season. Witten is aging and slowing, with his last 1,000-plus-yard receiving season now way back in 2012. He's at the point in his career when retirement questions are an annual staple of the locker clean-out process after the end of each season.

Soon enough the tight end torch will be passed in Dallas, and there are a handful of developmental options assembling behind Witten. That now includes Blake Jarwin, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State.

Jarwin is a versatile pass-catcher who was used everywhere in college, and that experience alone makes him an asset. He lined up as an in-line tight end, from the slot, as an H-back and was also split out wide. Overall, his targets and opportunities were limited, but Jarwin still left for the draft with a per-catch average of 15 yards.

He has the speed to separate up the seam and the toughness to win jump balls amid chaos up the middle.

"Jarwin has the athleticism to be a matchup player in the pros," wrote Bleacher Report's Matt Miller in his scouting report. "He could easily play as a flex tight end or even a fullback in the right scheme. A tough player with a high work ethic, he has the tools to become a more prolific pass-catcher at the next level than he was in college."

Good info! Thanks for posting. I had no idea who he was.

 

[Nirvana]

If memory serves this guy played a lot of snaps at fullback, so that is a nice bonus and maybe he can serve as both TE and FB. His special teams play would have to be top shelf to warrant a debate on making the 53, or an injury. Likely he's a PS guy and that's ok.

 

[erod]

and I expect him to be given a chance to go out and prove himself but I also expect these other guys to have the chance to win the job. Hell if I need an extra blocker I can take a backup OT as some teams do and put them in the eligible TE spot on a given play. I just think Hanna has to show more than just a blocker. Just my opinion.

To be fair, he is an OUTSTANDING blocker though.

So is Terrance Williams outside, too.