Non-contact injuries are normally as bad as they appear and unfortunately for Dallas Cowboys starting tight end Blake Jarwin, that turned out to be the case. In the season opener, in his first opportunity to own the position in what’s expected to be a vibrant offense, Jarwin went down and clutched his right knee in the second quarter.
It appears the team believes the worst, an ACL tear, occurred. Dallas fears they’ve lost Jarwin for the season.
After evaluation, Cowboys fear that TE Blake Jarwin has suffered a torn ACL, source said. An MRI to reveal injury's full nature but the team's belief is Jarwin has been lost for season. Injured right knee in second quarter.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 14, 2020
Jarwin was expected to be a major part of Mike McCarthy and Kellen Moore’s offense this year, augmented by the addition of rookie CeeDee Lamb to Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. Instead, the young player will have to spend the next several months rehabbing and hoping to return in 2021.
The former Oklahoma State product was a restricted free agent this past offseason, but Dallas rewarded him with a four-year contract. A $4 million signing bonus accompanied what the RFA tender would have earned Jarwin in base salary.
In his absence, 2017 draft pick Dalton Schultz will move into the primary pass catcher role, however it’s doubtful he plays as central a role in the offense as Jarwin was planned to. Taking over for Jason Witten, Jarwin was going to be a fifth or sixth option, but those targets may get distributed to others, including running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard and possibly fourth receiver Cedrick Wilson.
Dallas also has veteran Blake Bell on the roster, as well as UDFA rookie Sean McKeon, who was ruled inactive for the Week 1 contest against the Rams.
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