Getty The Cowboys could release Blake Jarwin to save money.
The Dallas Cowboys might have to move on from a former offensive starter in order to save salary cap space entering the offseason.
The Cowboys are in a dire salary cap situation as they’re currently $21 million over the cap — the third-worst figure in the league, according to Spotrac. Needless to say, the Cowboys will have to make some moves in order to clear up salary cap space. While bigger names and contracts have been mentioned as possibilities — Amari Cooper and DeMarcus Lawrence, for example — Dallas could make some smaller-scale moves to clear up some space.
According to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, the Cowboys can save money by cutting former starting tight end Blake Jarwin. Jarwin started seven games during the 2019 season and had entered the 2020 season as Dallas’ starting tight end. However, a torn ACL injury in the season opener wiped away his season. Since then, Dalton Schultz has emerged and has held on to the starting tight end spot.
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Cutting Jarwin Saves Cowboys $3.9 Million
“Tight end Dalton Schultz is an impending free agent, and re-signing him should be a priority for the Cowboys,” says Knox. “This past season, Schultz caught 78 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns and proved himself to be one of the team’s most reliable pass-catchers.
The Cowboys are going to have to clear cap space to keep the 25-year-old, though. They could create a little by parting with fellow tight end Blake Jarwin.
The 27-year-old is set to carry a cap hit of $5.9 million in 2022. Dallas could save $3.9 million of that by cutting him.
While Jarwin was a solid piece of the puzzle in 2018 and 2019, he’s been much less of a factor since—due in large part to injuries. Jarwin underwent ACL surgery in 2020 and landed on injured reserve with a hip injury in 2021.
Over the past two years, Jarwin has appeared in only nine games and logged a mere 12 receptions.”
Jarwin’s Injuries Have Derailed Career
Jarwin once appeared to be a promising tight end destined to emerge as one of Dak Prescott’s favorite weapons. The 27-year-old split tight end duties with Jason Witten during the 2019 season and caught 31 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns. During the 2018 season, Jarwin 66.8 offensive grade (according to Pro Football Focus) actually ranked him 25th among 70 qualifying tight ends.
However, his offensive grade this past season slipped to 57.8, ranking him 50th among 70 qualifying tight ends. On the bright side of the equation, Jarwin ranks as one of the better blocking tight ends in the league, posting a 69.3 run blocking grade, ranking 16th among all players at his position. By comparison, Schultz posted a similar 69.4 run blocking grade.
The Cowboys like to use 12 personnel (two tight end formations), utilizing the formation on 24% of their plays last season (10th in the league). It’s been a staple of their offense for years and it’s not going away any time soon.
The question is, are the Cowboys willing to release Jarwin — a proven dependable backup — to save $3.9 million and end up relying on a slightly cheaper and less proven option to play alongside Schultz next season?
The Cowboys will have to make some moves to sort out their salary cap situation this offseason. But it’s more likely they look to shed Lawrence ($19 million salary) or Cooper’s ($20 million) massive contracts rather than Jarwin’s.