More Snaps for Cowboys in 2017: Ryan Switzer or Rico Gathers?

Cowboys Nation is high on two young offensive players this season, tight end Rico Gathers and slot receiver Ryan Switzer. Who’s likely to get more snaps in 2017?

A new season for the Dallas Cowboys is nigh and with training camp just beginning, let’s talk projections. After all, projections are half of the fun at this point in the season. It exposes our expectations and puts success in perspective.

Offensively the talk of spring largely revolved around second year tight end, Rico Gathers, and rookie receiver, Ryan Switzer. Both are highly skilled prospects oozing with potential and both face substantial competition for snaps in 2017.

Because of the competition ahead of them, they each have different barriers to overcome. Looking at their projected roles in 2017, and comparing it to the snaps incurred by players in those roles last season, should be pretty telling as to how many snaps we can project for Gathers and Switzer in 2017.

we’ll look at how many snaps the WR4 and TE2 tallied in 2017 and try to use that to project what their peak expectations should be.

Projected Roles

Having not seen much of Rico Gathers in live action, it’s difficult to assess how well he’ll hold up in the blocking portion of the game. A month ago I projected Gathers to make the team as the Cowboys fourth tight end (TE4).

But if James Hanna and Geoff Swaim don’t bounce back from injuries and assume their roles as TE2 and TE3, Gathers has a chance to move up the depth chart.

So for the sake of this exercise, let’s say Gathers blows everyone away and assumes the TE2 role directly behind Jason Witten. And we all know Witten isn’t getting supplanted or injured anytime soon so this is Rico’s absolute ceiling on year.

Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Ryan Switzer has been lighting up the practice field. He’s explosive, runs clean routes, and he’s sure-handed. But still, the chances of displacing Cole Beasley are slim, to put it mildly. He’s even less likely to beat out Terrance Williams or Dez Bryant on the outside. Because of this, he’s ceiling in 2017 is likely as the Cowboys’ fourth receiver.

Therefore when comparing snaps, we’ll look at how many snaps the WR4 and TE2 tallied in 2017 and try to use that to project what their peak expectations should be.

Snaps in 2016

Last season, serving primarily as the second tight end (TE2) for the Cowboys, Geoff Swaim averaged 24.5 snaps per game before falling to injury. Forecasted over the course of an entire season that projects to 392 snaps.

The fourth receiver (WR4) for the Cowboys in 2016 was Brice Butler. As the WR4 he played 447 snaps on offense, so 55 more than the Cowboys TE2 did in 2016.

Naturally, Butler’s snap count was aided by injuries that caused Dez Bryant to miss weeks four, five, and six. If not for those games, Butler’s total snaps for 2016 would have likely been around 360, which is slightly less than what the Cowboys’ TE2 can expect.

If history is any indicator, one of the Cowboys’ top two receivers will miss games at some point this season, causing the WR4 to fill in. Therefore a repeat of 447 snaps isn’t really all that unlikely.

But even then it’s not that easy since we have no idea if Ryan Switzer can play either the X or Z receiver positions on the outside. All indications are he’s a fantastic plug-and-play slot receiver but that doesn’t easily translate to the outside – especially if you’re a wee 5’8” 181lbs target pinned against the sideline.

Obviously if Cole Beasley needed to miss time to injury, Ryan Switzer would be the choice. But if Dez or Terrance missed time, Brice Butler is still the more likely substitute. So even if Ryan Switzer established himself as the WR4 in the Cowboys’ ranks, he’s not going to serve the same role as Brice Butler did as the WR4 a year ago.

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Special Teams and Goal Line

Previously we discussed how Rico Gathers could be a beastly goal line option for the Cowboys. He probably won’t win the TE2 spot but he stands to log steady snaps in certain situations. Additionally, Gathers has a chance to earn a bigger role on special teams than Ryan Switzer.

It sounds crazy but think about it.

Ryan Switzer was drafted to be the primary punt returner above all else. It would be shocking if he didn’t win the job. But that may be where his special teams contributions end. Gathers has a chance to be a player on both coverage units and both return units.

Prediction

The ceiling for Rico Gathers to log more snaps than Ryan Switzer is greater but that ceiling appears to be a long-shot in 2017. James Hanna and Geoff Swaim will be awfully hard to overtake on the depth chart.

Ryan Switzer, on the other hand, has a much easier road to WR4. He’s not going to get more snaps than Brice Butler did last season but he should be a lock to get a similar number of them given the release of Lucky Whtehead. He’s also a lock to be the punt returner. Rico’s not even a lock to be active on game day.

Before setting expectations for players it’s important to first break down what’s even possible given the climate of the team.

It’s fair to assume good things from both Gathers and Switzer but unfair to think they are going to be anything close to starters (barring injury, of course).

Next: How the Cowboys can use their 'Switz Army Knife' in 2017

Expect Switzer to get more snaps for the Cowboys in 2017 and Gathers to see his role increase as the season progresses.

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