The Dallas Cowboys aren’t expected to make any more moves in free agency before the 2017 NFL Draft, meaning that their remaining free agents from the start of the new league year were low-priority players to Dallas. This was certainly the case for Gavin Escobar, as the nearly forgotten TE has inked a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Roster Move: We have signed free agent tight end Gavin Escobar. pic.twitter.com/rJPti5m0Ax
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 31, 2017
Escobar was a second round pick of the Cowboys in 2013 (sad face), failing to ever make a real impact behind Jason Witten on the depth chart for a team that shifted to dominantly using just one tight end under Scott Linehan.
A career high four touchdowns on just nine receptions in 2014 proved that Escobar has the traits to be the red zone target he was in college at San Diego State, and those traits will now be utilized by Andy Reid and the Chiefs.
Escobar’s departure leaves the same amount of uncertainty behind the recently extended Jason Witten at TE for the Cowboys, with Geoff Swaim and James Hanna dealing with their own injuries.
Perhaps Dallas will look to draft another tight end out of the deep class this draft presents, potentially as high as the 60th overall pick in the second round – 13 picks back from where they selected Gavin Escobar.
Hey cowboys fans,Do we actually care ???What has he done here?? Good luck behind Travis Kelce lol
Hasn’t done much of anything here, you’re right, but I do wish him all the best in KC. Better fit there to play even with Kelce and not have what happened with him and Witten again
He got much better in 2017 with his blocking. Wasn’t a bad player.
Now it’s official: Hang on at the Cowboys any way possible, then somebody pays you to leave… ;^)
We’ll see what the draft brings. Each of the other TE’s on the roster has to be pleased. As it stands, we’ll need another good year out of Witten. But a lot can change depending on who comes up big at camp.
This has turned into a project-player year on the Cowboys, with numerous jobs open for who can step up and take them. We’ll need a couple to hit at least, and be right on who we take in the first few rounds. Interesting camp coming up.
On Landry’s 1975 Cowboys, 12 rookies made the team. It won the conference and went to Super Bowl X.
In 1981 he went young in the secondary with rookies Everson Walls, Ron Fellows and Michael Downs. That unit became a strength of the team, with veteran Charlie Waters at SS.
This is going in the right direction haha
maybe Linehan will actually start USING 2 TE’s on occassion the way the Patriots do.
I’d like to see Rico Gathers have a good camp & maybe even see the field in the regular season.
The way this team moves the ball in 11 personnel with one TE, I wouldn’t mess too much with a good thing. I am right there with you in hoping that Gathers turns into something, which would be incredible in terms of the 2016 draft class and their impact. Thanks for reading and commenting!
I also disfavor the 2 TE because I think DB’s welcome receiver alignments that are more likely to keep all action in front of them & less likely for someone to get behind them. I favor the spread sets for that reason, even on early downs.
Gathers is 6′ 6″ / 273 lbs / 4.75 40 dash. So the project here is a big power TE with agility, not a stretch the field TE. We don’t know how he is running routes, catching different balls that come at him, or how he deals with contact. But the way to get him on the field might be to get him good on just a couple routes like that hook or sit down that Witten runs, and then give him some reps to rest Witten. I think he can master those & probably shed a tackle. That would get him some NFL sea legs. Then you have the whole aspect of whether he can block also.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/rico-gathers?id=2556375
Another wasted 2nd rounder? Or Underutilized player? Will probably thrive elsewhere other than here. Look @ all the 2nd round players in the last 10yrs. Heck, look at all 3rd rounders too. Sean Lee, with all his injuries & not playing full seasons, is the best one from all 2nd rounders. #SMH
You’re absolutely right, this team needs to get better at not taking as many risks and locking down on their players in the second round.