Dallas Cowboys: Rico’s biggest problem isn’t blocking

There is one thing keeping Rico Gathers from making the Dallas Cowboys final 53-man roster and surprisingly, it’s not his blocking ability.

Dallas Cowboys’ third year tight end, Rico Gathers, has been a fan favorite in Cowboys Nation since the day he was drafted. The 6’6” 280lb converted Baylor basketball player was brought in to follow in the footsteps of prolific basketballers-turned-footballers that came before him: Tight ends like Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, and Jimmy Graham illustrate what could be when projecting Rico Gathers’ promising future.

But in Year 3, time may be running out on Gathers here in Dallas and fans are faced with the harsh reality that if Rico ever reaches his immense potential, it’s probably going to be with a different team. And surprising to many, it’s not his blocking ability that’s preventing him staying on the Dallas Cowboys…

Before training camp in Oxnard even began, we discussed Rico Gathers’ future on this team ad nauseam. I even specifically addressed the issue as to whether the Dallas Cowboys would be willing to keep him as purely a one-dimensional pass-catcher.

The answer to that question (would the Cowboys be willing to keep Rico as a one-dimensional pass-catcher) remains as true today as it did before training camp-

Of course the Dallas Cowboys would be willing to keep Rico Gathers on as a one-dimensional pass-catcher! Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham have been largely one-dimensional throughout their careers, and we can see what kind of asset they have been on their respective offenses.

The problem is Rico Gathers doesn’t appear to even be one-dimensional.

While there’s no question the Cowboys would prefer a well-rounded tight end like Jason Witten, they aren’t so dumb they can’t see the usefulness a dominant receiving option brings the passing game – even if he can’t block.

The problem is Rico Gathers doesn’t appear to be even one-dimensional. Sure, he wins those 50-50 jump balls in spectacular fashion (actually last week he seemed to win a 30-70 ball where HE was at the disadvantage). Rico can also dazzle us shedding tackles and spectacular run after the catch. But does he know how to read a defense? Does he know how to adjust his routes based on the coverage?

Coverage in preseason is often pretty generic. During the regular season teams will be working to confuse him and disguise their coverage. He’ll need to make his reads and adjustments mid-route and if he picks the wrong route, the result may be worse than a missed opportunity, but rather an easy interception.

In the preseason, Rico hasn’t just been confused by blocking assignments, but he’s also been confused by what route to run. The reads and adjustments required to play the tight end position are no small thing and if you can’t reliably do so, you’re an extreme liability.

That’s why the biggest thing preventing Rico Gathers from making this team isn’t that he’s a poor blocker. It’s that he’s a poor receiving option.

The fact is we don’t know how much he knows because we aren’t inside the huddle knowing what’s being called. He may be messing up 20 percent of the time or he may be may be messing up 75 percent of the time. Only the coaching staff knows for sure.

One thing is for sure – the Dallas Cowboys will find a way to keep him on the roster if he convinces them he knows how to read coverage and adjust his routes accordingly. If he doesn’t make the final cut, it’s likely because he can’t which means he’s not even a one-dimensional option.

• Published on 08/22/2018 at 12:01 PM
• Last updated at 08/22/2018 at 10:43 AM