Blake Jarwin has had one heck of an offseason. Not only was he promoted from backup to starter, but he also received a four-year $22 million contract extension from the Dallas Cowboys to go along with his new title. This is a move a lot of Cowboys Nation has wanted to see for a few years now, however, it isn’t a risk-free one.
Sadly, there is still a lot of unknown about how Blake Jarwin will do as a full-time starter. He’s had to play second fiddle as a backup the past couple of seasons, showing flashes in the limited playing time he has received. It’s those flashes though the Cowboys and fans alike are hoping they see on a more consistent basis with increased playing time.
To date, Jarwin is averaging about 30 catches for around 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns over the past two years with the Dallas Cowboys. That’s not too shabby considering he only played 35.87% of the offensive snaps in 2018 and 38.72% in 2019. As a full-time starter now, his playing time should more than double in 2020.
The increased playing time and the amount of weapons around him make Blake Jarwin in intriguing breakout player for the Dallas Cowboys this season. He could very well take a Michael Gallup like leap in 2020. Jarwin’s untapped potential has a lot of fans salivating, but he may have just one year to prove he’s the answer and not just a stop gap.
As much as I like Blake Jarwin, and I do, the 2021 tight end draft class is one of the best I’ve seen in quite some time. I know the Dallas Cowboys just handed out a pretty big chunk of change to secure Jarwin’s services for the next four years, but if he doesn’t produce as expected that could prompt the Cowboys to look elsewhere for Jason Witten’s replacement.
2020 could quite possibly be Blake Jarwin’s only chance to prove he’s a starting caliber tight end in the NFL. Consistency is going to be key for him as it is for any starting player at any position. If he can do what he did with limited reps on a regular basis, he has the potential to join the ranks of some of the difference making tight ends around the league.
