Dallas Cowboys: Should Blake Jarwin start over Jason Witten?

Jason Witten is having a solid year for the Dallas Cowboys, but is it time for Blake Jarwin to take over the starting tight end role?

After looking great offensively during the first three weeks of the season, the Dallas Cowboys have looked like their 2018 selves on the offensive side of the ball over the last two weeks. After scoring just 10 points against the Saints and then zero against the Packers in the first half, it’s clear the offense needs some sort of change.

Something, or someone, has been missing from the Cowboys’ offense, and he’s been on the roster the entire year. That player who has been missing is backup tight end Blake Jarwin. Jarwin has played in every game so far, but maybe not enough. Against the Saints, Jarwin played a season-low 29% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps. Against the Packers, Jarwin played just 31% of the snaps, his second-lowest total of the season.

Through five games, Jarwin has played an average of 36.8% of the offensive snaps. In comparison, starting tight end, Jason Witten has played an average of 71.2% of the offensive snaps through the first five games, almost twice as many as Jarwin.

Witten is having a solid season for the Dallas Cowboys, totaling 17 receptions for 173 yards, 10.2 yards per reception and two touchdowns. While he hasn’t been a huge offensive weapon, he has been a solid and reliable target for Dak Prescott.

However, maybe the solid and reliable Witten isn’t what Prescott and this offense needs. Instead, they need a playmaker at the tight end position. That playmaker is on this roster, he’s just not being used enough.

In five games this season, Jarwin has totaled eight receptions for 113 yards, 14.1 yards per reception, and one touchdown. These stats don’t pop out at you but keep in mind, Jarwin has played just half the offensive snaps of Witten.

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If Jarwin’s offensive snaps were doubled in the first five games, it’s likely his stats would have doubled also. If that was the case, that would put Jarwin’s season total at 16 receptions for 226 yards and two touchdowns. While that would put Jarwin at one less catch than Witten, it would put him 53 yards ahead of him with the same amount of touchdowns.

It’s clear to me that Jarwin is the more dynamic receiver among the two Dallas Cowboys. What really sets them apart is their yards per reception. Jarwin’s 14.1 average yards per catch is currently 3.9 more yards than Witten’s 10.2 average. That may not seem like a lot, but that adds up over the course of a game.

Those 3.9 yards could be the difference between a first down and a fourth down, or it could be the difference between being in field goal range or not being in field goal range. It may look like a small number, but in football, 3.9 more yards can be huge.

Don’t get me wrong here. Witten should still be on the field often for the Dallas Cowboys. He’s a better blocker than Jarwin, which is probably why his snap count is much higher. Witten is a Hall of Fame player, but at this point in his career, he’s not a big threat in the passing game. For Prescott and this offense to bounce back and reach their full potential, they need more big-play threats.

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If the Cowboys give Jarwin more opportunities moving forward, I believe they’ll be a better offensive team than they have been in the first five games of the season. Even if Jarwin doesn’t start over Witten (I honestly don’t see that ever happening), an increased role for the backup tight end would greatly improve this passing game.

The answer to their offensive woes is sitting right in front of them, and it’s time for them to finally recognize and take advantage of it.

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