NFL Analyst Floats Perfect Cowboys Trade to Fix Red Zone Woes
![NFL analyst Robert Griffin III has floated the idea of Falcons TE Kyle Pitts being the perfect fit to fix the Cowboys' red zone problems. NFL analyst Robert Griffin III has floated the idea of Falcons TE Kyle Pitts being the perfect fit to fix the Cowboys' red zone problems.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3737,h_2102,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/181/01hb98yhxe3ef7mtds58.jpg)
The Dallas Cowboys were brought back down to earth with Sunday's 28-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Our red zone struggles continued to be a glaring issue as Dak Prescott & Co. only scored on 1-of-5 trips inside of the Cardinals' 20-yard line.
The Cowboys have now scored on just 40.0% of red-zone opportunities β tied for fourth-worst in the NFL.
Fixing the red-zone struggles is key if the Cowboys want to make a run for Super Bowl LVIII. After all, kicking field goals in the red zone leads to losing games, meaning Dallas must find a way to hit paydirt when it matters the most more often.
Interestingly enough, NFL analyst Robert Griffin III has an idea how to help the RZ issues.
The former QB-turned-broadcaster was on Tuesday's edition of "Get Up" on ESPN, saying that the Cowboys should potentially trade for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
π§π₯ππ‘πππ‘π: Robert Griffin III says that the #Cowboys are missing Ezekiel Elliott in short yardage situations, via @GetUpESPN
β JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 26, 2023
He also says they are missing a tight end in the red zone and suggests possibly trading for #Falcons TE Kyle Pitts π
(π₯: @GetUpESPN) pic.twitter.com/Ou4eCY3nc3
Cowboys Trade Rumors: Kyle Pitts
It isn't too shocking to see RG3 suggesting that the Cowboys should pursue the third-year TE.
The Falcons are wasting the gifted playmaker's abilities. After recording 68 catches for 1,026 yards and a touchdown as a rookie, he's only played to a 37-456-2 stat line in 13 games since the start of the 2022 season.
Even with Pitts' play trending in the wrong direction, he'd still be an upgrade over our current TE situation based on the below stats through three games:
- Jake Ferguson: 10-of-18 targets, 70 yards, 1 TD
- Peyton Hendershot: 1-of-2 targets, 3 yards, 0 TDs
- Luke Schoonmaker: 1-of-2 targets, 1 yard, 1 TD
Meanwhile, Pitts is already up to 100 receiving yards on nine receptions. And while his 38.1% career catch rate in the red zone isn't too impressive at first, three of the eight catches he made within the opposition's 20-yard line were caught for touchdowns.
A change in scenery is exactly what Pitts needs, hence why even former Cowboys like Dez Bryant want to see him play for America's Team. It's not hard to imagine the type of damage a 6-foot-6, 246-pound weapon could do with Prescott throwing him the ball.
But as Griffin said on "Get Up," it's likely going to cost a pretty penny to land Pitts. The ex-Florida Gator is only 22 years old and hasn't reached his prime. He's also under contract for the next two seasons with his fifth-year option on top of that, meaning it's going to take some decent trade pieces for the Falcons to even entertain a trade.
Nevertheless, there's no (reasonable) price that Jerry Jones won't pay if it means fielding a winner. The Cowboys have the majority of their draft picks for the next few years, giving more than enough ammunition to pull off a trade if Pitts is made available.
Until that happens, though, we can only hope that Mike McCarthy's coaching staff can solve the Cowboys' red-zone struggles before it's too late.
Whether McCarthy figures it out or not won't compromise your $350 bonus from DraftKings, thankfully. Just bet $5 after signing up through the exclusive Sport DFW link below and you'll automatically unlock $200 guaranteed (it pays out whether your bet wins or loses) plus up to $150 in now-sweat bets. This offer won't be around for long though, so unlock your $350 now before it expires!