Cowboys: Who is making the 53-man cut?

Aug 13, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end

(89) runs his route during the third quarter against the San Diego Chargers in a preseason NFL football game at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Tight End (3)

Jason Witten

Gavin Escobar

Geoff Swaim

Notice someone missing? Yup, James Hanna, one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL doesn’t make the cut. I think there is a very realistic possibility that the free-agent-to-be, James Hanna, is traded near the last round of cuts.

The Cowboys never go with more than three TEs on the final 53, and Geoff Swaim is standing out so much in training camp, they need to keep him. That either means keep four or trade someone. Gavin Escobar is under contract for two years, while Hanna is in his last year. It’s as simple as that.

The Cowboys hope Geoff Swaim can develop into an H-Back, capable of lead-blocking like a fullback and line-blocking like a TE. In the preseason, Swaim is showing he’s a player capable of being a downfield pass-catching threat as well.

It’s hard to evaluate much of his run-blocking since he largely plays with the 3^rd unit and acts more as a receiver, but his college tape indicates he’s very capable.

Jason Witten is still the man at tight end, and doesn’t seem to be slipping in his game much. He will dominate the snaps in 2015, but since the Cowboys often play out of a 12 personnel package (two tight ends), there is plenty of playing time to be shared by any combination of Gavin Escobar, James Hanna, and Geoff Swaim.

Last season, Escobar and Hanna split their snaps pretty evenly. Escobar was more likely to run a route, while Hanna was more likely to stay in and block. Neither player excels much in the other’s specialty.

Next: Receiver Position Becoming Clearer