Dallas Cowboys tight end roster evaluation.
TE
Starter: Jason Witten – Here’s the thing about Jason Witten, as good as he was right out of the box when we drafted him, he’s only gotten better as the years have progressed. Witten has a reached a level of play where he is now being called the best all-around TE in the league by some anlaysts. That’s high praise indeed for our star TE but not wholly unwarranted. There may be other TE’s in the league who are as good or perhaps even a little better as receivers but you’d be hard-pressed to find a TE who can catch like Witten and also block like him. That wasn’t always the case, Witten’s blocking early in his career was sometimes suspect, but it’s a skill he’s worked on and has now mastered. I’ve watched many times on game film where Witten has taken on a defensive end and won the battle.
The fact that Witten can do it all from the TE position is nice but it his ability to get open in the passing game, especially over the middle, that has made him such a valuable weapon for the Cowboys. His ability to draw coverage to the middle of the field is part of the reason T.O. has such gaudy numbers with the Cowboys. Witten has terrific hands, runs great routes and almost always falls forward when being tackled. I just can’t say enough about what a fantastic football player Jason Witten truly is. And if that’s not enough for you, just go here to understand the true essence of Jason Witten.
Anthony Fasano – Fasano labors under the expectations of being a 2nd-round pick by Bill Parcells and comparisons to guys like Mark Bavaro who served the Tuna so well. Fasano does not possess those kinds of skills. Fasano is what I like to term a serviceable player who provides nice depth at a position. He can block well enough although I still think there is room for improvement in that part of his game. In the passing game he’s had some moments but not the overall consistency that would make you think he’s anything more than a backup. Of course, his drop in the Giants’ playoff game will be a lasting memory for many fans. Still, Fasano is a good player to have in order for Witten to get the occasional rest in a game.
Tony Curtis – All the guy does is catch touchdowns. That’s being overly-complimentary of the player, but he has produced a few good moments for the Cowboys and serves them well on special teams. He’s not a guy you think about a lot but he has performed well in the role the Cowboys ask of him.
Rodney Hannah – Hannah has the look of a TE, especially a pass-catching TE. He’s athletic, tall and showed flashes of skill at training camp before the past season. Right now, he’s all potential but if he can corral his physical gifts into an understanding of the position and a willingness to get physical, he might end up being more than a project. Only time will tell with this kid.