Former NFL scout describes the value of a tight end for Cowboys
Following Dalton Schultz's departure, the Dallas Cowboys will likely consider grabbing one of this year's top tight end prospects when they're on the clock next Thursday night. Who knows how the board will fall when it's all said and done but in a loaded class for the position this year, the Cowboys are very likely […]
Following Dalton Schultz's departure, the Dallas Cowboys will likely consider grabbing one of this year's top tight end prospects when they're on the clock next Thursday night.
Who knows how the board will fall when it's all said and done but in a loaded class for the position this year, the Cowboys are very likely to find one. They could even stumble upon the consensus No. 1 guy at the position, Notre Dame's Michael Mayer. The latest draft buzz seems to strongly suggest that the front office wouldn't pass on such an opportunity if Mayer is available.
Of course, whoever is picked by the Cowboys would have to fit what HC Mike McCarthy wants in a tight end. In Monday's press conference, he revealed that in order to select one in the first round, he'd need him to be able to play the traditional "Y" position.
In other words, he needs his guy to be able to play as an in-line blocker. But what else does having a valuable "Y" entail? I asked a former NFL scout to get a better grasp on the team's goals.
"I don’t know his version extremely well, but I can speak to Andy Reid’s a little better," the ex-scout told A to Z Sports. "The 'Y' can be a really advantageous chess piece in it because of matchup reasons in coverage."
In the presser, McCarthy also mentioned that you "can never have enough 6’4, 250-pound guys" at the position. That archetype translates into greater mismatches as the player can be a legitimate threat both as a blocker and as a receiver and the defense then must choose what body type to assign against the guy. Choose a heavy linebacker and he could get killed in coverage. Choose a smaller DB-type and he could be bulldozed by the bigger tight end.
It's the game within the game.
But adding a great Y could mean even more for the Cowboys offense and it could benefit Dak Prescott in huge ways moving forward. It's not just about what he can do as a pass-catcher or blocker himself but the information he can provide his signal-caller on an every-down basis.
"You can line great ones up all across the formation and use it to give Prescott free information pre-snap so that his post-snap process is streamlined," the former scout said. "You can see the way Andy Reid and Doug Pederson use their TE, and it has played a massive role in the success they’ve had with the QBs as coaches."
Pre-snap motion from a tight end can give the Cowboys quarterback information but that's not it. It can also exploit a defender's leverage every single snap with in-breaking or out-breaking routes. That's something Travis Kelce does with the Kansas City Chiefs extremely well in key downs, including red zone situations.
Mayer, the most rounded-out TE of the class, likely fits what the Cowboys want. Don't underestimate the value he could provide on offense if he's the pick but more than anything keep in mind, he'd be a huge help for Dak heading into the 2023 season.
