One of the more exciting things about considering the Dallas Cowboys playing out of 11 personnel at this time last year was the opportunities that it was going to create for Blake Jarwin. 2020 offered a ton of promise for Jarwin because with Jason Witten finally gone he was going to get a lion’s share of snaps as the team’s top tight end. Unfortunately we never got to see how any of this shook out as Jarwin was lost for the season in Week 1 with a torn ACL.
A lot of things have obviously happened to the Cowboys in the time since then, but it feels like Jarwin’s return has gotten significantly less attention than others. Dak Prescott, Tyron Smith, and La’el Collins are all obviously notable contributors to the team’s offense and their returns are very welcome, but Blake Jarwin deserves some attention, too.
Part of the reason that Jarwin might not be as touted in his return could be the fact that the drop off from him to his replacement was not as severe as it was for the other players. Dalton Schultz filled in admirably for Jarwin last season and looks like he could complicate the position a bit in what is a contract year for him. There is no denying Schultz’s edge over Jarwin as a blocker which is a fundamental value of playing tight end in the NFL.
Still, though, Jarwin’s athleticism and prowess in the passing game should be welcomed back with open arms. The Cowboys aren’t exactly short on options for Dak Prescott to throw to, but the more the merrier and all that jazz.
More Jarwin also offers the Cowboys more than just a choice between he and Dalton Schultz. With two capable tight ends on the roster Kellen Moore can integrate 12 personnel more frequently, although taking anybody off of the field in favor of that is a tough decision. Still, though, the option exists which is a positive thing.
We spoke about Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz, and the tight end position altogether in the latest episode of our Training Camp Preview series on the Blogging The Boys YouTube Channel. We have been working very hard on our YouTube Channel this offseason and would appreciate it if you could subscribe to it (which you can do right here). We have some big plans in store for the season that we are excited about.