Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 14: Rico Gathers #80 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys cut former Baylor basketball star and tight end Rico Gathers during the second week of training camp in Oxnard, CA. He spent three seasons with the team before being waived on Monday. Dallas had their annual “Blue vs White” scrimmage on Sunday, followed by a day off on Monday.
The Cowboys announced Gathers’ release in a tweet Monday evening:
The #DallasCowboys have waived TE Rico Gathers after three seasons.
Rico Gathers Released
Gathers had just three receptions for 45 yards in 2018. His lack of production and the return of Jason Witten likely explains his release. Gathers was a sixth-round pick in 2016 and is facing a one-game suspension this season.
Last season was the first time in Gathers’ career that he saw any regular-season game action, due to lingering injuries.
He was on a vast list of basketball players who attempted to make the jump to playing tight end. Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, and Tony Gonzalez are some of the top players on that list. Unfortunately for Gathers, he has not made the full leap in his transition between sports.
He should benefit from receiving playing time and will surely have a better chance to see more action elsewhere. Witten’s return appears to have resulted in Gathers being the odd-man-out for the Cowboys.
The current tight ends on the roster are Witten, Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz. Jarwin had 27 catches for 307 yards and three touchdowns in 2018. Schultz hauled in 12 passes for 116 yards while seeing limited action. There was already depth in place at the position, so Gathers’ release was not a surprise, especially considering Schultz has received solid reviews thus far in training camp.
There should be a number of teams looking for tight end depth as the season draws near, especially once preseason ramps up. Teams will need to fill roster spots to help with injuries before the regular season kicks off in September.
Cowboys Make Another Move
The team is also signing safety Tyvis Powell to fill Gathers’ spot on the roster, according to Dallas Cowboys writer David Helman.
Powell was waived on Saturday by the Houston Texans. He spent just a week with the team before they opted to cut ties. Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was teammates with Powell at Ohio State.
The 25-year-old has 14 tackles and a forced fumble through 18 career games. He had one start in his career.
Powell will undoubtedly have an improved outlook in what will be a reunion with Kris Richard in the secondary. They worked together on the Seattle Seahawks and he also played for the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, and Cleveland Browns.
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