Skipping right over the 2020 season, see what the 2021 Dallas Cowboys could possibly do in the draft to address a few more needs.
The dust has settled from the 2020 NFL draft but being the NFL is in recess, why not skip right over the 2020 season and look to the 2021 version.
Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire conducted a two-round mock draft recently, identifying the majority of the coming college football season’s watch list. For the mock order, Easterling used 2020 Super Bowl odds , giving Dallas the No. 27 overall pick. This puts them ten spots deeper than they had when they selected Cee Dee Lamb with the No. 17 overall pick just a few months ago. This also puts the Cowboys in the NFC title game, but that’s a discussion for later.
27. Cowboys | Kyle Pitts | TE | Florida
Oct 12, 2019; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts (84) catches a pass over LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (7) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
One can look at this pick in multiple ways. Currently, the Cowboys have tight ends Blake Jarwin, Blake Bell, Dalton Schultz, Sean McKeon, Charlie Taumoepeau and Cole Hikutini on their 2020 roster. By drafting a tight end next year, the mock predicts the tight end depth chart wasn’t strong enough in 2020.
Jarwin goes into this season as the clear cut starter but the group of tight ends behind him clearly don’t stand out in the upcoming season. Taking Pitts with the No. 27 overall also means that he’s coming in to compete for the starting tight end position in 2021.
Jarwin entered 2020 as a restricted free agent, but signed a four-year deal. It is essentially escapable after one season, though, so the team protected themselves should they need to move in a different direction in short order.
59. Dallas Cowboys | Richie Grant | S | UCF
Dec 23, 2019; Tampa, Florida, USA; Central Florida Knights defensive back Richie Grant (27) makes an interception and runs the ball back for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys finally address the safety position via the draft in Round 2. In 2020, the Cowboys selected two cornerbacks in Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson III. They addressed their secondary but felt that the addition of Ha Ha Clinton Dix to Xavier Woods meant safety wasn’t something they needed to focus on.
Drafting Grant here could mean one of a a few things. Both Clinton Dix and Woods are in the final years of their deals. Even if either resigns for a few years it’s unlikely both would return, opening up the possibility for a young cat like Grant to join the fray,
The 2020 draft could go down as one of the best Dallas has had in quite some time. The 2021 draft could be looked at as a draft class that would fill holes and put the team over the top to continue to compete to get their sixth Super Bowl trophy.
Which players are on the cusp of something big heading into the 2020 season?
Several of these players could cross over into the realm of being sleepers. For the most part, each name has somewhat established himself as an up-and-coming fantasy football commodity. They’re now on the verge of going big.
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals | ADP: 5:02
A second year in this wide-open passing system that added one of the top receivers in the game can only bode well for the continued development of Murray. He was an inconsistent No. 1 fantasy quarterback as a rookie, so any sense of a breakout will come in the way of being reliable from week to week. He finished the year as QB7 in fantasy points but was only No. 13 in per-game scoring. The top takeaway from watching Murray last year: The game isn’t “too big” for him at the professional level.
Having an improved offensive line will help, as well. Just two quarterbacks hit the dirt more than Murray in 2019. Some of that was his fault for holding the ball too long or trying to make plays with his legs. Don’t expect a massive upgrade from the line, which will mostly require continuity to help, and staying healthy is important, of course. At any rate, Murray has all of the tools to be a top-five fantasy passer in weekly points generated, even if he takes a few lumps along the way.
Drew Lock | Denver Broncos | ADP: 11:03
The second-year quarterback saw general manager John Elway go all in on upgrading the offensive weaponry for Lock. The Broncos spent two early picks on wide receivers in Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, who’ll play out of the slot. Jeudy is among the top NFL-ready rookie receivers in recent years. Quite possibly the most important addition is found in the backfield, where the signing of Melvin Gordon will help create what could prove to be a top-five rushing attack.
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The other important area of improvement: Graham Glasgow was signed in free agency to play guard, but he also can go at center, and is paired with 2019 rookie stud guard Dalton Risner. The Broncos landed a nice value on Lloyd Cushenberry III to start a center as a third-rounder. Lock may not jump into the top tier of fantasy assets among quarterbacks in Year 2, but the weapons are in place for him to rely on his lively arm and make plays. Expect inconsistently strong QB1 production spattered among a few contests of being a No. 2-level game manager when the matchup calls for heavy ground utilization.
Running backs
(Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)
Miles Sanders | Philadelphia Eagles | ADP: 2:03
Sharing touches as a rookie, Sanders managed to finish as the No. 15 PPR back in 16 games. His per-outing average of 13.7 fantasy points ranked 21st among RBs with at least 10 appearances last year. The Eagles should (heavy emphasis on should) be healthy at receiver entering the year, which will keep the box free of extra defenders more than last year. The Penn State product ran 179 times for only three touchdowns a year ago, ceding six scores to Jordan Howard. Sanders logged 50 receptions and another trio of TDs. Traditionally, receiving scores are volatile year over year, but there’s little reason Sanders cannot score close to 10 rushing touchdowns.
The true breakout aspect here will come via touchdowns and a reasonable increase in handles. Combining his 2019 carries with Howard’s from last year — not an ideal baseline, but the point is to show there’s considerable growth potential in workload — Sanders would tally 298 attempts. It will be somewhat surprising to see him rush that many times, but if it were to happen, it would tie for the third-most carries in 2019 (Nick Chubb). Consider the 250-260 range to be more than reasonable. He’ll see somewhere in the neighborhood of 240 carries as a floor, and that alone pushes him into solid RB1 status.
Devin Singletary | Buffalo Bills | ADP: 3:11
Efficiency is the name of his game. In 2019, the rookie toted the rock 151 times for 775 yards in 12 games, averaging 5.1 per carry. He scored only three times on the ground but added a pair via the passing game on his 29 grabs. Singletary was sluggish to get involved in his first six appearances, receiving more than eight carries in one of those contests. He had no fewer than 13 carries in the last seven games.
Frank Gore is gone, and third-round pick Zack Moss will have to get acclimated as a rookie in an unprecedented offseason. There is obvious concern Singletary could lose considerable work to Moss, particularly around the end zone; gamers should be more worried about QB Josh Allen’s rushing prowess. Durability also could be an issue after Singletary missed three games due to injury (fourth in Week 17 for playoff rest). Every running back comes with pitfall potential, so trust in an improved passing game helping make an already explosive back that much better. He’s a strong RB2 with low-tier No. 1 upside.
Raheem Mostert | San Francisco 49ers | ADP: 4:08
The trade of Matt Breida to the Miami Dolphins opened the door to a much larger share of the touches for Mostert. Running back Tevin Coleman remains in the mix, and there’s probably going to be weeks where gamers are playing the wrong guy. Keep that in mind if weekly consistency is extra important via performance bonuses in your league settings. Mostert showed he belonged last year with 137 carries for 772 yards and eight rushing TDs, averaging a hearty 5.6 yards per attempt in this zone-blocking system. He went on to chip in another two TDs on only 14 receptions, racking up 180 yards along the way. Mostert closed out 2019 scoring 80 percent of his touchdowns in the final nine contests (including playoffs), and he erupted on the Green Bay Packers in the conference championship for 220 yards and four scores.
With Breida out of the picture (Coleman aside), Jeff Wilson Jr., and veteran Jerick McKinnon (remember him?) round out the top of the depth chart. McKinnon still isn’t close to being 100 percent from a knee injury suffered two years ago. San Francisco lives and dies by the ground game, and the stout defense affords this style of play to continue. For as much as Kyle Shanahan likes Coleman, it’s evident Mostert is the more explosive option. The opportunity to touch the ball around 225-250 times is present, and Mostert may actually come at a bargain in more casual leagues.
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
Wide receivers
Deebo Samuel | San Francisco 49ers | ADP: 5:07
Just how much confidence can fantasy owners have that first-round rookie Brandon Aiyuk will be able to get up to speed during this offseason? How much confidence can we have in Jalen Hurd taking a massive step forward after effectively redshirting as a rookie in 2019? After George Kittle, there really isn’t a receiving option in this offense anyone should be concerned with cutting into Samuel’s numbers. He ran hot and cold as a rookie, finishing the year without a receiving touchdown in the final seven games (including playoffs). Samuel managed to still be relevant in PPR in all but a pair of those outings thanks to a combination of volume and rushing work (two scores).
Samuel’s game isn’t going to give fantasy owners too many explosive performances in standard scoring by his nature of being more of a glorified possession receiver (think Anquan Boldin). He’s still dynamic enough, though, and even in this pass-heavy offense, his target count of 81 from last year should increase by 50 percent or so. PPR gamers witnessed New York Jets WR Jamison Crowder finish 16th in scoring all while failing to top 833 yards on his 122 looks. The crafty Samuel is a far more versatile player and should be in for a final line that pushes him into the top 10 of his positional mates in reception-rewarding scoring formats.
Darius Slayton | New York Giants | ADP: 8:05
Slayton played in one of the more pass-friendly situations last year. He had a defense that struggled to contain opponents and heled lead to more passing … Saquon Barkley’s injury created a need for an increase in aerial work … Golden Tate’s suspension and injury … Sterling Shepard’s concussion spree … Evan Engram’s inevitable injury … Corey Coleman being lost for the year … Pat Shurmur’s base three-wide designs … All of that helped create a 48-740-8 line for the rookie wideout who entered the year buried on the depth chart.
Looking ahead, despite an offensive system change in an offseason without on-field activities as usually scheduled, the Giants once again offer an intriguing situation for Slayton. Quarterback Daniel Jones stands to mature in his second season, and a healthy Barkley will keep defenses guessing. The reality is Tate enters his age-32 season, and Shepard is one concussion away from possibly having to retire. Engram remains brittle, and Coleman isn’t a threat after the showing from Slayton. Jason Garrett comes over as the play-caller and also brings a three-wide base that has proven capable of sustaining multiple WRs. With Tate in the twilight of his career, and Shepard merely a sidekick, the 4.39-second Slayton easily could be the featured guy and produce Amari Cooper-like numbers. The 2019 WR37 is well-positioned to flirt with No. 2 status in 2020.
Mecole Hardman | Kansas City Chiefs | ADP: 10:07
Despite catching only 26 balls a year ago as a rookie, Hardman managed to find the end zone six times. The Chiefs retained Sammy Watkins and brought back Demarcus Robinson, which should give some pause, but neither player has the makings of being something special, unlike Hardman. Generally speaking, talent wins out more often than not, and this second-year receiver has it in spades. The Chiefs could make it difficult for Hardman to be consistently involved, though, which is a legitimate concern. Get him the ball anywhere in the range of 80-100 targets and we’ll see fireworks.
There are plenty of intriguing WR fliers, and Hardman will draw early attention in deeper leagues or from more competitive circles, so understand he could enter overvalued territory in those situations. While banking on an injury isn’t wise, it obviously is a way to increased playing time. So is simply being better than his competition, which is what is more likely to lead him to an uptick in work. WR3 standing is a reasonable expectation after his WR62 debut season.
(Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)
Tight ends
Noah Fant | Denver Broncos | ADP: 11.06
The 2019 first-round pick is likely to be a fantasy darling for many owners who tend to wait on the position. In 2020, there’s a respectable crop of tight ends we can consider to be “safe” bets for starter production. Fant is on the cusp of entering the conversation as a midrange No. 1 even without a marked improvement.
The offense turns to Pat Shurmur, whose system definitely caters to the position. Evan Engram was on a torrid pace before getting hurt in 2020 for the Giants when Shurmur was in charge. Denver will feature second-year quarterback Drew Lock as their starter, and he more than acquitted himself as a rookie last year. While Lock didn’t focus too much on Fant in their five games together, we saw some of Fant’s elite speed mesh with Lock’s stellar arm to create 28-yards-per-catch averages in two of those matchups. Denver drastically infused talent in the offseason to bolster the passing game, and Fant should benefit as a low-volume, high-efficiency weapon.
Blake Jarwin | Dallas Cowboys | ADP: 14:08
In 2019, the Cowboys managed to find 83 targets for Jason Witten and another 41 for Jarwin as his backup in an offense littered with receiving talent. Witten is now a Las Vegas Raider, and WR Randall Cobb is in Houston. A rookie first-rounder in CeeDee Lamb was chosen as arguably the most talented wideout in the draft, but Jarwin is a veteran who already knows the system and is now the starter. Only nine tight ends were targeted more than Witten last season, suggesting if even half of those looks went to Jarwin in 2020, coupled with the 41 he saw as a reserve, we’re right at that 10th-place mark again, in a vacuum, anyway.
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Mike McCarthy may be the new head coach in Dallas, yet the 2019 coordinator, Kellen Moore, returns to call the plays. Being an offensive-minded coach, it’s only natural we’ll see some of McCarthy’s system tendencies bleed into the calls. Nevertheless, it isn’t a bad thing. His Packers didn’t really have a bona fide fantasy tight end, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying; Jermichael Finley appeared destined for stardom before suffering a career-ending spinal cord injury. Jarwin has the chops to get it done, although the major concern will be the consistency of his weekly involvement. He’s probably a better target in best-ball leagues where gamers don’t set a lineup but rather field one based on their week’s top positional performers. That is, unless, you’re supremely confident playing the matchups.
The Cowboys have a lot of star power, but no newcomer will have as big a burden on them as rookie Trevon Diggs.
The Cowboys had a busy offseason and it left opportunities for players to step into large roles within the team. One of those opportunities lies in the hands of Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys most recent second-round selection. Diggs is part of a secondary that is going to attempt to replace the All-Pro production of Byron Jones, and the young corner has a chance to make an impact in just. is first season. Blake Jarwin is another player with a golden opportunity, as he is now ready to take over the starting tight-end role, and Aldon Smith is trying to make the most of his second chance in the NFL.
A Dallas signing that is potentially underrated is the acquisition of Cameron Fleming. The veteran should be able to back up all positions of the line and could prove valuable in the rotation. Speaking of rotations, the linebacker group for the Cowboys is set up to succeed more than ever before, plus, why an UDFA linebacker could join the Cowboys established group. All that, and more, here are the Cowboys news and notes from May 26, 2020.
The signing of OL Cameron Erving has gone under the radar, but Erving’s versatility and experience could make him the sleeper signing of the offseason for Dallas.
NFL Network’s Charlie Casserly goes through three defensive backs who could be steals at their draft position, including the Cowboys newest cornerback, Trevon Diggs.
CeeDee Lamb is the most talked about Dallas rookie, and for good reason but the most important rookie for Dallas may just be Diggs. The Alabama product will try to help mitigate the loss of Byron Jones, and should compete for one of the two starting CB spots for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys received good news in the way of Aldon Smith’s reinstatement into the NFL. Former Cowboys offensive lineman Leonard Davis compared Smith (who he played with in 2012) to the great DeMarcus Ware, and more positives notes about Smith’s comeback.
Last year was supposed to be the breakout year for the Cowboys linebacker core, but injuries and inconsistency derailed the group. Now, with Lee re-signed, and Vander Esch healthy, the trio of those two along with Jaylon Smith is ready to make some noise.
Travis Frederick stuck to his routines before games with Dallas. One routine involved a football he would always warm up with. Now, Frederick is asking for that ball back.
Expectations are high for Blake Jarwin, as he takes over as the likely full-time starter at tight-end for the Cowboys. Hear from Jarwin himself about his future, how Jason Witten helped his game, and more.
Off the field issues have altered the path for former Utah LB Francis Bernard, but he still managed to reach his destination, the NFL. Learn more about the Cowboys undrafted free agent, and why it’s reasonable to believe he could contribute quickly in the league.
The Cowboys top three wide receivers are as good as any group in the league. However, after the three starters, there is a role to be had. One of these three players are likely to seize that spot: Cedrick Wilson, Devin Smith, and Aaron Parker.
Also, Travis Frederick weighs in on the team’s chances, Jason Witten continues to mentor his Dallas understudy, and a possible rookie gem.
News doesn’t take a holiday, and the long weekend has seen several of the major players in the Cowboys’ current soap opera make a starring appearance. Jamal Adams, Dak Prescott, even Carson Wentz are in the headlines in Cowboys Nation.
Travis Frederick thinks the team is poised for success in 2020, and an online betting expert agrees. The team may have given up on chasing Everson Griffen, but Jason Witten hasn’t given up his mentoring role of Blake Jarwin. Look for Neville Gallimore to make a splash in his rookie year, and DeMarcus Lawrence makes a literal splash in his latest workout. That’s all on tap in the Memorial Day edition of News and Notes.
The flicker of hope may now be just the last glimmer of a dying ember for Cowboys fans who covet the Pro Bowl safety. Not only do the Jets apparently have no intention of trading Adams, the notion of chasing such a deal reportedly has “no traction” currently in the Dallas front office.
The Ring of Honor quarterback admits to being a little confused by the hoopla over Dak Prescott’s contract status, since it’s a given he’ll be a Cowboy in 2020. But Aikman made it crystal-clear to the Dallas radio station on Monday that he believes the club will reach an agreement with their starting passer, “and he’ll have a long-term contract as opposed to playing under the franchise tag this year.”
Despite now being a Las Vegas Raider, the eleven-time Pro Bowler continues to be a mentor to Blake Jarwin, who moves from understudy to likely starter in Dallas. In a phone call several weeks ago, Jarwin says Witten “just told me ‘good luck, I’m excited for you. What an awesome opportunity this is for you.’ He just wants to make sure I don’t take anything for granted and push myself daily.”
The two Class of 2016 quarterbacks will always be pitted head-to-head, like Coke-versus-Pepsi. One Philadelphia writer sets aside his fandom, dives deep into the film… and comes away with a solid perspective on who is better. The real winner here is everyone who enjoys the good old-fashioned back-and-forth rivalry that could help decide the NFC East for years.
2019 was a major disappointment for Cowboys Nation, but there’s encouraging news, at least according to one online outlet focused on betting odds. The Action Network has the Cowboys as the favorites to win the division after doing so in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
The Pro Bowl center has dropped over 30 pounds, is down one shirt size, and has shaved his trademark beard. But he’s attacking childhood hunger with his usual ferocity in light of the current pandemic crisis. As for his former co-workers, Frederick says, “The team is set up extremely well. The front office did a great job of getting people in place. On paper, it looks like a really, really solid team. They have a chance to go far.”
To many, the former Viking seemed to be a perfect free agency fit in Dallas. But with the recent reinstatement of Aldon Smith and the team’s belief that Randy Gregory will soon follow, the addition of another defensive end has become much less a priority.
Sure, first-nighters are supposed to make an immediate impact. But which later-round pick is poised to make the biggest leap in their freshman year in the pros? This list spotlights third-rounder Neville Gallimore from Oklahoma for his rare versatility.
A look at the dynamic duos around the NFL, the last hole to fill on the Cowboys’ offense and more.
By getting the best player available on their board during the 2020 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys were able to add players who could provide real value in their rookie seasons. CeeDee Lamb is one of the best candidates for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and the new Cowboy defenders have a huge opportunity to make an impact.
The rookies join an already strong roster, that boasts one of the top QB-WR combinations in the whole league, a stud running back that is a dark-horse MVP candidate, as well as two young linebackers that are set for a big year. The tight end position is solid at the top, but it seems like there is one missing piece there. Four current Cowboys and two former were honored in PFF’s best players of the decade. Tony Romo will soon be debuting on CBS’ new show “In The Huddle with Tony Romo.” This edition of Cowboys news and notes is full of variety and information you might not yet know.
Cowboys new defensive tackle Neville Gallimore had a productive college career, but ESPN’s Todd Archer explains why the former Sooner is just getting started.
CBS is getting creative; next Sunday Tony Romo sits down with three up-and-coming quarterbacks for his new show called “In The Huddle with Tony Romo.”
Who will step up as starters on the outside & who will prove to be the primary cornerback guarding the NFL's elite receivers?https://t.co/fiDTYirx1d breaks down the CB position ⬇️
When you’re talking dark-horse MVP candidates, Dak Prescott is disqualified after the odds revealed he’s one of the five players most likely to win MVP. But read why Ezekiel Elliott is a good underdog candidate for the league’s biggest individual award.
The Cowboys showed their faith in Blake Jarwin with a new contract extension, and Dalton Schultz was a day two draft pick, but the Cowboys tight end room still seems a little thin.
According to NFL.com writer Dan Parr, CeeDee Lamb is in the ninth best position to succeed in the rookie class. Continue reading to see who’s higher than him on the list, and why he falls where he does.
The Giants are reportedly going to be running the Jason Garrett offense that many Cowboys players are still extremely familiar, and this is potentially a very good thing for the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys have elite players on offense, but they could still use some help at the tight end position.
The Dallas Cowboys should have one of the more dynamic offenses in the league for the upcoming 2020 season. They are stacked across the board with talent, boasting some of the best players at their respective positions and having outstanding depth.
There is one position group, however, that while it inspires some hope, doesn’t inspire nearly as much confidence as the other four offensive units.
At quarterback, Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton make up one of the best QB situations in the game. Prescott is one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the league and if something should happen to Prescott, Dalton presents one of the league’s top backup options and is fully capable of winning games.
Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard make an sensational one-two punch at RB. Elliott is one of the best backs in the NFL and Pollard had an impressive rookie campaign; it should be exciting to watch how new head coach Mike McCarthy utilizes the duo.
At wide receiver, the Cowboys have arguably the best group in the league. WR’s Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup each had 1,000-yard seasons in 2019, and the team added top-receiving option CeeDee Lamb in the draft. It’s an explosive trio who will be difficult to stop.
Dallas also boasts an extremely deep, talented and versatile offensive line. The Cowboys have two All-Pros in Tyron Smith and Zack Martin, as well an ascending player in La’el Collins, who is one of the better right tackles in the league. The addition of Tyler Biadasz in the draft creates a wealth of options on the interior of the line, and if someone should get hurt, the Cowboys have the depth to handle any missed time. The rookie, along with Connor McGovern, Connor Williams and Joe Looney make up an impressive group of center, guard combinations.
The same can be said at tackle, where the Cowboys just signed Cameron Erving. The former first-round pick will compete for the top swing tackle, along with Brandon Knight. Williams can also play tackle in a pinch if needed.
The only place where the Cowboys could still use some help is at tight end.
The team hopes new starter Blake Jarwin can make the jump to one of the better receiver threats in the league the targets vacated by Jason Witten. After finishing the 2018 campaign strongly, Jarwin continued to show promise in 2019.
Despite playing second fiddle to Witten, Jarwin played well when called upon. He only saw 38% of the TE snaps in 2019, but did catch 31 balls for 365 yards and three scores, while averaging 11.8 yards per catch.
That was over three yards more per catch than what Witten mustered. The future Hall of Famer saw twice as many targets, caught twice as many passes, but accounted for under a 45% increase in Jarwin’s yardage.
If Jarwin saw both his and even just half of Witten’s targets combined, he would have been looking at a 700+ yard season with six scores.
The team showed their faith in Jarwin with a shiny new contract this off-season, a four-year deal worth up to $24.25 million. That’s a good amount of faith for a player who has yet to be a full-time starter at the position.
However, unlike the rest of the offensive positions, TE does not have considerable depth.
Jarwin is a threat in the passing game, but the other tight ends can be classified as blockers. If something were to happen to Jarwin, who would become the receiving option for the Cowboys?
Dalton Schultz is the other returning TE, but he only has 13 receptions in two seasons. The team added veteran Blake Bell in free agency. Bell, formerly of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City, has 38 career catches in five years, including eight last season.
The only other tight ends on the roster are Cole Hikutini, who has no career catches, and undrafted rookie free agents Sean McKeon and Charlie Taumoepeau.
After Jarwin, there isn’t a proven legitimate receiving threat at TE for the Cowboys.
There are still options remaining in free agency. Former Tennessee Titans TE Delanie Walker is an intriguing name, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE O.J. Howard’s name has been mentioned in trade winds.
There doesn’t appear to be any sense the team will bring in another TE however, and Dallas will likely roll with what they’ve got. However, it is the only position on the offense that doesn’t offer significant depth or star power.
You can chat with or follow Ben on twitter @BenGrimaldi.
Also, the team talks to backup QBs, more support for a Jamal Adams trade, Henry Ruggs interviews, and Roger Staubach’s final comeback win.
The Cowboys’ new tight end is ready to step up and show the lessons learned under a recently-departed legend. And a former superstar receiver is ready to step up and show that he’s not quite done building his legend yet… but a budding talent at the position may be ready to step up and steal some of the spotlight.
That’s a lot of stepping up. We’ll also take a step back to look at why the Raiders took a chance on Jason Witten, relive the final comeback in the career of Captain America, and wonder what the 2020 season might look like in empty stadiums. Plus, an energized Mike McCarthy is ready to get back to work. So are Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory, though they’ll all have to wait a while longer. That and more is ahead in this edition of Cowboys News and Notes.
The fourth-year tight end isn’t allowed in the team facility, so he’s working on his game using decidedly old-school methods. And he talks about his old-school mindset to the starting role, one he learned from the 16-year veteran he just replaced.
As the Raiders look to create a new team culture in the Las Vegas desert, their GM describes their newly-signed 37-year-old tight end as “the quintessential culture guy.” But given Witten’s decline in Dallas over his last four seasons, what he’ll bring to the actual playing field for the silver and black falls into more of a gray area.
David Robinson has been training wide receivers for 15 years. Robinson talks about how Dez Bryant is different these days and says he’s “about 80-90 percent where he needs to be” for a return to the NFL.
The Cowboys have done a virtual interview with speedy Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs, per source. So add him to the list of options at 17.
Dallas could be fielding a new version of the Doomsday defense if Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith are both reinstated by the league, as the club expects. But it hasn’t happened yet, and it won’t happen before draft weekend. That uncertainty may color the team’s decisions once they find themselves on the clock.
This, of course, is well-covered ground. But the unrealistic pipe dream from last season is gaining traction as a viable option that makes a ton of sense.
He spent his off-year working from home, getting ready for a coaching comeback. Now the new Cowboys skipper is having to work from home again due to coronavirus restrictions, but Mike McCarthy says his mind “is flying 100 miles an hour” as he prepares for the upcoming season.
The league has reportedly been working on contingency plans for playing on this fall during the COVID-19 pandemic, although it could mean a shortened season, sequestering teams in hotels, or even playing in empty stadiums.
In what turned out to be his final NFL win, Captain Comeback lived up to his nickname with a pair of touchdown passes in the final five minutes to stun the Redskins in the 1979 regular season finale. Enjoy this mini-movie exploring what Staubach called “absolutely the most thrilling sixty minutes I ever spent on a football field.”
Speaking of quarterback news, we now know the #Cowboys have spoken to at least 2 who are slated to go on the 2nd and 3rd days of this year's NFL Draft. This is more likely due diligence given backup QB Cooper Rush is returning on a 1 year deal pic.twitter.com/YuQhhI01HM
Dallas has added depth behind assumed starter Blake Jarwin with the journeyman tight end who was a rushing quarterback for much of college.
With Jason Witten now officially an ex-Cowboy, Blake Jarwin theoretically ascends to the starting role at tight end. He won’t have any trouble remembering the name of the new guy behind him.
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with 28-year-old Blake Bell, primarily a blocking tight end, who spent last season in Kansas City. News of the signing was reported by ESPN’s Todd Archer on Wednesday morning.
It’s a one-year, $1.7 million contract with $450K guaranteed for new Cowboys TE Blake Bell, source said. Good blocker. He played a career-high 209 special teams snaps in 2019 with Chiefs. https://t.co/XicxwYCZjm
Bell earned the nickname “Belldozer” while at Oklahoma as a nod to his blocking prowess, but he actually began his college career as a quarterback, serving as the understudy to Landry Jones in 2011. He logged plenty of playing time in the team’s “jumbo” package, though, rushing 44 times for 171 yards and three touchdowns that season alone. In the 2011 Insight Bowl, his three scoring runs netted him the game’s MVP award.
He moved to tight end in 2014, and was selected in the fourth round of 2015’s draft by the 49ers. He spent two years in San Francisco, then did one-year stints in Minnesota and Jacksonville before landing with the Chiefs last April.
Behind superstar tight end Travis Kelce, Bell struggled to make much of an impact on the stat sheet. He did appear in 15 regular-season games in Andy Reid’s offense, though he averaged one target per contest. He scored his first NFL touchdown in Kansas City’s dramatic comeback win over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs. He caught one ball for nine yards in Super Bowl LIV.
Bell apparently had the opportunity to return to the reigning champs, but opted for a new opportunity with the Cowboys.
Source confirms TE Blake Bell is signing a one-year deal with the Cowboys, as @clarencehilljr reported.
Source further tells me the Chiefs expressed interest in bringing back Bell, and he had a hard decision to make. In the end, the native of Wichita, Kansas, chose Dallas.
Now in Dallas, Bell joins Dalton Schultz and Cole Hikutini in the tight end room behind Jarwin. And he adds an intriguing wrinkle for the Cowboys should offensive coordinator Kellen Moore choose to dust off Bell’s quarterback rush skills.
The NFL has made its archival video service free through May; here’s a season’s worth of Dallas games worth revisiting to pass the time.
It’s football withdrawal season. Sure, there’s the free agency frenzy to keep track of, there are mock drafts to dissect, there are contract clauses and salary caps to crunch. But for the fan who just wants to park it on the sofa for an afternoon and take in an honest-to-goodness game, with running and throwing and tackling and after-further-reviewing and all, the pickings are pretty slim this time every year.
In 2020, though, that drought is compounded heavily by COVID-19. Whether on genuine lockdown, practicing some common-sense self-quarantining, or doing a little basement social distancing from the rest of your family and their never-ending Disney+ marathon, the phrase, “Are you ready for some football?” may elicit a slightly more visceral reaction these days.
And while one can satisfy their pigskin craving with tons of original programming like A Football Life, Hard Knocks, and Mic’d Up, nothing restores a sense of normalcy (at least temporarily) like making some snacks, putting on a jersey, and cueing up a regular season game.
The archives go back to 2009, offering over a decade’s worth of football on various viewing platforms. Games are available in several different flavors: full broadcast (best for enjoying Tony Romo’s crystal-ball commentary, Troy Aikman’s no-nonsense stylings, or Booger McFarland’s head-shaking buffoonery), condensed versions (when you need a quick fix just to pass the time during Frozen 2), and even from the All-22 “coaches’ angle” (for maximum nerding out over the Xs and Os).
Cowboys fans, here’s a collection of games worth going back and re-watching, a full 17-game schedule (because there are no bye weeks in quarantine) to keep you cheering (mostly) while you’re under couch arrest.
2009 (finished 11-5, 1st in NFC East)
Week 15: Cowboys 24, Saints 17
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
It was the team’s first season in what is now called AT&T Stadium, but for this ’twas-the-week-before-Christmas tilt, the 8-5 Cowboys traveled to the Superdome to battle the undefeated Saints in primetime.
Dallas jumped out to a 17-3 halftime lead on a touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Miles Austin and a scoring run by Marion Barber. Barber would score again in the second half, but the hero of the night was DeMarcus Ware, who caused a pair of Drew Brees fumbles, one of which ended a late potentially-game-tying drive by New Orleans.
[lawrence-newsletter]
Wild Card Weekend: Cowboys 34, Eagles 14
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas had swept the regular-season series with Philadelphia by a combined score of 44-16. After a scoreless first quarter, the Cowboys blew things open with 27 points in the second and never looked back. Tashard Choice, Miles Austin, Felix Jones, and John Phillips all found the end zone in what was the Cowboys’ first playoff victory since 1996 and coach Wade Phillips’s first-ever postseason win.
Referee Ed Hochuli got loads of airtime in this one, as the two clubs set a league record for the most penalty yards (228) in a playoff game. Sloppy? Yes. But a win over the Eagles is a win over the Eagles. And a win over the Eagles in the playoffs is even sweeter.[lawrence-newsletter]
Dallas has signed their tight end to a three-year extension that could signal the end of Jason Witten’s tenure with the Cowboys.
The Cowboys have announced a new contract extension for tight end Blake Jarwin, according to NFL insiders Ian Rapaport and Mike Garofalo.
The 25-year-old was an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State in 2017. After mostly practice squad work as a rookie, Jarwin played in all 16 games in both 2018 and 2019.
The #Cowboys are signing TE Blake Jarwin to a 3-year extension worth up to $24.25M, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. He gets $9.25M guaranteed.
His 2018 season finale saw him catch three touchdown passes against the Giants, seemingly signaling a passing of the baton at the position for Dallas in their first season without Jason Witten. The Hall of Famer returned, though, in 2019 in what was originally sold as a timeshare. But Jarwin saw just 39% of the team’s offensive snaps, leading some to wonder if the team truly regarded him as their tight end of the future.
Prior to Monday’s news, Jarwin was going to be locked in for 2020 as under a second-round, RFA tender, for just over $3 million. The extension creates, in essence, a new deal that locks Jarwin in for the next four years.
Monday’s move should silence some of the confusion about who the TE1 in Dallas now is, likely serving as a stronger indication that the club will not bring Witten back.
Dallas could have kept TE Blake Jarwin on a one-year tender as restricted free agent, keeping him scheduled to hit open market in 2021. Instead, club locks in the 25-year-old now.
