Tag: Erik Swoope

Cowboys bring in two tight ends, tackle, and QB for tryouts

After injuries to key starters in Sunday’s Week 1 loss, the Cowboys have brought in several new players for a tryout, including a QB.

Evaluating talent is a full-time-all-the-time endeavor in the NFL. Even if the Cowboys hadn’t seen injuries take Blake Jarwin, Leighton Vander Esch, and Cam Erving off the field in Sunday night’s opener, the team would still be expected to at least kick the tires on some new names this week.

Given the season-ending ACL tear to starting tight end Blake Jarwin, it’s not surprising to see a couple more on the club’s tryout list. Taking a look at tackle is always smart for offensive line depth, especially after Dak Prescott was sacked three times in Los Angeles. There are no linebackers trying out, so Dallas seems content to roll with who they’ve got. But they are getting an up close and personal look at a quarterback with a unique claim to fame.

Erik Swoope is likely the most familiar of the bunch. He has been affiliated with four teams after entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014. The University of Miami tight end played with the Colts for five seasons, catching three touchdowns in 2018. Since then, Swoope’s done a one-day stint with the Saints, a two-month stay in Oakland, and a week in San Francisco.

Cheyenne O’Grady played college ball at Arkansas, catching 85 passes from 2016 to 2019 and scoring 11 touchdowns. The tight end left the Razorbacks team in November of his senior year and went undrafted in April.

Offensive tackle Jared Veldheer was a third-round selection by the Raiders in 2010. After four years in the silver and black, he spent four more seasons with the Cardinals. He started 12 games in 2018 as a Denver Bronco. After signing a one-year deal to play in New England in 2019, Veldheer retired from football a week later, only to change his mind and be claimed by Green Bay late last season.

Quarterback Jalen Morton was an undrafted free agent out of Prairie View A&M. He signed with the Packers, but was released in early August. While Dallas’s stable of passers would appear to be full, Morton may be worth a look-see if only to gauge his notable arm strength.

According to his bio, Morton- who has a degree in mechanical engineering- can throw a football 100 yards.

“The last time I did that was late July before camp,” he told Sports Illustrated‘s Bill Huber over his summer in Green Bay. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m feeling good about the season. I feel good about it. I feel good about it because I know my arm strength. I used to play baseball. I know the type of conditioning to keep in shape and keep doing that. I’ve seen Aaron Rodgers flick the ball and it goes 75. I can only imagine what he would do if he takes a couple of hitches and lets it go.”

The Cowboys merely brought in all four players for tryouts. The dream may last for just one workout or the invite could lead to a spot on the practice squad. And then who knows?

[vertical-gallery id=654143]

[vertical-gallery id=653983]

[lawrence-newsletter]

49ers officially add extra TE, release undrafted RB

The 49ers roster got a tweak with just a couple weeks left in training camp.

The 49ers on Tuesday officially announced the signing of tight end Erik Swoope. Reports of the pending move surfaced Monday. To make room on the 80-man roster, San Francisco released undrafted running back Salvon Ahmed.

Swoope was a college basketball player at the University of Miami, but signed in 2014 as a UDFA with the Colts. In four NFL seasons he has 23 receptions for 384 yards and four touchdowns across 24 games. He was most recently with the Raiders, but they cut him last offseason before he could play a game for them.

With Ross Dwelley nursing a foot injury and Jordan Reed slowly working his way into full practices, Swoope gives San Francisco a much-needed healthy body to take snaps in training camp.

Ahmed was one of two undrafted rookie running backs the 49ers signed after the 2020 draft. In three years at the University of Washington, Ahmed posted 2,016 yards and 21 touchdowns on 353 carries. He added another 331 yards through the air on 50 receptions.

San Francisco’s glut of talent at running back meant there was likely a battle between Ahmed and fellow undrafted rookie JaMycal Hasty for a spot on either the roster or the practice squad. It appears Hasty won out with a couple strong performances early in training camp.

[vertical-gallery id=660384]

49ers to add another TE as injuries limit numbers

The 49ers are set to add free agent tight end Erik Swoope.

The 49ers on Monday were set to work out a pair of tight ends, and now they’re on track to sign one of them. Former Colts TE Erik Swoope will join San Francisco to help an ailing tight end group. according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Swoope gives the 49ers another body at tight end, where they had just three healthy players over their last two days of practice before a day off Monday. Ross Dwelley hurt his foot and Jordan Reed is still working his way back into full practices after missing all of last season with his seventh concussion. That left the 49ers with only three healthy TEs — George Kittle, and rookies Charlie Woerner and Chase Harrell.

The Colts signed Swoope as an undrafted free agent in 2014 after he spent his entire college career playing basketball for the University of Miami. His first foray into organized football came as a rookie with the Colts. He saw his first real action in 2016 and caught 15 balls for 297 yards and one touchdown in 16 games. A knee injury before the 2017 season kept him from building on his only successful year.

Swoope in four seasons has played in 24 games with six starts. He has 23 receptions for 384 yards and four touchdowns in his career. The Raiders signed him last offseason but cut him before the season started.

[vertical-gallery id=660384]

49ers to work out a pair of tight ends

The San Francisco 49ers are battling injuries at tight end, so they’re working out a pair of them per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

The 49ers are short on tight ends with Jordan Reed still working his way into full practices and Ross Dwelley sidelined by a foot injury. To make up for their lack of healthy bodies at the position, San Francisco is working out a pair of tight ends according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Wagoner reported Caleb Repp and Erik Swoope would both work out for the 49ers.

Repp is 6-5, 225 pounds and played on both sides of the ball in college. He spent three years at Utah and a year at Utah State. His final year with the Aggies was his most productive as a pass catcher. He hauled in 36 balls for 455 yards and four touchdowns. Atlanta signed him as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 draft, and released him in early August.

Swoope is a 6-5, 257-pound former college basketball player at the University of Miami. He didn’t play football in college, but the Colts signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He mostly stuck on their practice squad until 2016, when he appeared in all 16 games with four starts. He had 15 catches for 297 yards and one touchdown that season. Swoope missed all of 2017 with a knee injury, and returned in 2018 with eight catches, 87 yards and three touchdowns. The Colts waived him late in the 2018 season, and he made his way to the Raiders for a short time last offseason.

Working out a couple tight ends doesn’t necessarily mean the 49ers are worried about anything long term for Reed or Dwelley, but they do need available players to get through practices.

There’s no word on the severity of Dwelley’s injury, but he did miss Saturday and Sunday’s practices before the team’s day off Monday. Reed has been working individually on a side field and working his way back into full practices. He’s expected to return soon, but even when he comes back the 49ers may want to limit his reps, which means an additional tight end would be necessary.

[vertical-gallery id=660384]