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Dallas Cowboys: What a deep TE Draft class means for TEs in free agency

By Reid Hanson

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 25: Tight End Jared Cook #87 of the Oakland Raiders catches a touchdown in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 25: Tight End Jared Cook #87 of the Oakland Raiders catches a touchdown in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys are in the market for a tight end and solutions are to be found in this tight-end-rich draft as well as free agency

As you’ve likely heard and seen by now, this year’s tight end draft class is a thing of beauty. Not only does it boast top-end talent in the first round, but it also runs deep, sure to offer tremendous value on Day 3. For a team like the Dallas Cowboys this is phenomenal news.

It’s positive news because opportunities will surely be there in the draft. But it’s also positive because of the impact this TE-heavy draft class will have on the free agent market.

Free Agent Market

Besides Jared Cook and Tyler Eifert, there aren’t many attractive TE names out there. The thin free agent class combined with the talent-rich draft means teams are probably fine with waiting to address the position until the draft.

This could provide a huge opportunity for a team like the Dallas Cowboys who are looking for a TE1 to plug directly into the lineup and don’t want to spend a bundle doing it. Always the opportunistic shopper, Dallas stands a good chance at signing either Eifert or Cook at or below their salary from last season.

Tyler Eifert is a player Jason Garrett has coveted dating back to the 2013 NFL Draft. But when Eifert went off the board at Pick 21, the dream of snagging the next great Dallas tight end appeared lost. But the 28-year-old is hitting the market this year, and after another injury-shortened season, he’s likely to come at a very reasonable price (probably half of what he earned last season which was $5.5M).

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The former Pro Bowler has major upside and very limited cost making for a perfect gamble. Additionally, Dallas likes what they have in Dalton Schultz and Blake Jarwin, and wouldn’t be losing any sleep should injury befall Tyler once more. Signing him early would also allow them to gamble a little more on Day 3 of the draft as they wait for a nice prospect with tremendous value to slip through the cracks and fall into their laps.

Jared Cook is the top TE on the market who could easily slide into the TE1 role. The former Raider played 768 snaps, caught 68 balls for 896 yards and six touchdowns.  He’ll be more expensive that Eifert but he’s also considerably more reliable. At age 32 he wouldn’t require a long-term commitment and could serve as a bridge until the Cowboys develop one of their own into a bona fide starter.

The Draft

The Dallas Cowboys still need to look to the draft for the long-term health of the position, but it’s unrealistic they’ll find a Week 1 starter at pick 59 of the draft. Like Jarwin and Schultz last year, whoever they draft will need to be groomed and can’t be expected to play TE1 in Week 1 (at least not with any level of confidence).

Next. Cowboys complete mock draft: Dallas finds a TE. dark

With such a deep draft, free agents are going to suffer. Why not take advantage of the market and fill a need at the same time? Having someone like Eifert or Cook on board wouldn’t prevent them from drafting a TE in April, nor would it force them to reach for one out of need. It puts them in a position of power and that’s something the Dallas Cowboys always strive for heading into draft weekend.

  • Published on 02/09/2019 at 14:01 PM
  • Last updated at 02/09/2019 at 14:37 PM
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