Cowboys tight end undergoes 'uncommon' surgery, expected to miss start of 2022 season
Dallas Cowboys tight end Blake Jarwin just can't catch a break when it comes to staying healthy. Jarwin was once thought of as the replacement for Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten, but injuries have held him to just nine games over the last two seasons. Now, it looks like he is going to […]
Dallas Cowboys tight end Blake Jarwin just can't catch a break when it comes to staying healthy.
Jarwin was once thought of as the replacement for Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten, but injuries have held him to just nine games over the last two seasons.
Now, it looks like he is going to miss the start of the 2022 season, at minimum.
Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Jarwin underwent surgery for a hip injury in late February. Per Gehlken, said surgery is very uncommon for an active NFL player. Jarwin is expected to miss the start of the 2022 season, at minimum.
Per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jarwin's rehab requires 6-8 months, which means late August would be the earliest Jarwin could return. If everything goes right, of course.
Calvin Watkins, who also works for the Dallas Morning News, backed up Gehlken's tweet and also added that the Cowboys are seriously concerned about Jarwin. Apparently, the surgery is reserved mostly for basketball players and hockey players. Watkins did mention, however, that the Cowboys do have faith in Jarwin's rehabilitation process. But, that seems more like lip service, at the moment.
This is obviously not good news for the Cowboys. As it stands, Dallas has just two healthy tight ends on the roster in Sean McKeon and Ian Bunting. Dalton Schultz, the No. 1 tight end from last year, is currently a free agent.
Jarwin's surgery adds to the importance of re-signing Schultz, who finished second on the team in both targets (104) and receptions (78). He tied Amari Cooper for the lead in receiving touchdowns (8) and finished third on the team in receiving yards (808), as well.
The Cowboys are currently a little more than $25 million over the salary cap, so re-signing Schultz won't be easy. Especially considering the fact that his current market value is estimated to be around $12.6 million per year, according to Spotrac.com.
There is a chance the Cowboys release Jarwin and save a little over $3.8 million in cap space, but such a move would likely be looked down upon and considered bad business. The aforementioned $3.8 million could a long way toward helping the Cowboys re-sign Schultz or it could help the Cowboys slap Schultz with the franchise tag, which is estimated to be $10.834 million for tight ends in 2022. It'll be interesting to see how the Cowboys handle this moving forward.
It's a good thing they've been talking to a few tight ends at the combine. Because, right now, Dallas needs all the help it can get.
Featured image via-Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
