With all the questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys offense this season, perhaps the biggest has been about the tight end group. The Cowboys have been waiting for their tight ends to make a significant impact this season and finally someone has stepped up. That someone is second year Tight End Blake Jarwin.
The Dallas Cowboys front office always believed Jarwin could be a productive player for them. They promoted him from the practice squad during the 2017 season when Philadelphia attempted to sign him.
Over the last two weeks, Jarwin has caught 11 passes for 101 yards and has become a favorite target of Dak Prescott’s.
Against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 14, Jarwin caught seven passes for 56 yards. In the week 15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts Blake Jarwin was targeted by Prescott seven times, which tied Amari Cooper and Cole Beasley for second in the team behind Ezekiel Elliott. Jarwin’s four catches were also tied with Cooper and Beasley for second as well.
Jarwin has had a couple really nice games in a row. He dropped an important pass on Sunday that could have put the Cowboys in good position to score later in the drive, but even on the drop he showed a ton of athleticism that should have Cowboys Nation excited about his potential.
In 2018, the biggest flaw in the Cowboys offense has been their inability to score touchdowns. You can look at the offensive line decline, the quarterback’s indecisiveness, or the play calling, but one major reason is they don’t have a big athletic presence that they can throw to down in the red zone. Well, I think we’ve seen from Jarwin that he can be that guy, if they decide to target him there.
Jarwin’s shown good route running and good hands on third downs, but hasn’t become a focal point in the area that matters most. In general, he’s probably the fifth option on most passing plays behind Cooper, Michael Gallup, Beasley, and Elliott, but he could be the cure for what plagues the Cowboys inside the 20 yard line.
I know we’re all frustrated with his drop from Sunday, but we should also be encouraged and excited as well. When was the last time that the Cowboys had a tight end that displayed the athleticism Jarwin revealed on that play? Gavin Escobar, maybe? Jarwin needs to become a focal point in the red zone passing game moving forward, because he gives you box out options, a target up the seem, as well as someone who can run Jason Witten’s “Y-Option.”
He’s not at all a finished product, but Jarwin’s showing why the Dallas cowboys front office was so intrigued with him as an UDFA out of Oklahoma State. With him gaining more and more experience, it’s time to unleash him around the goal line. With all the attention on Cooper, Beasley, and Elliott inside the red zone, Jarwin could be the player to open things up for everyone else if Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan make him a focal point.
With the playoffs approaching the Cowboys offense needs to fix their red zone issues if they have any hopes of being anything more than a one and done. With Blake Jarwin’s size and athleticism, he’s the hero we need right now.
