The free-agent signing period is not over by any means, but it certainly has gotten quieter both with the Cowboys and around the league. The focus is shifting now to the NFL Draft, which is scheduled for April 29-May 1.
While it's still possible to see more moves between now and the draft, the bulk of the player movement has already passed.
With that being said, let's take a quick look at each position on the roster and see where things stand heading into the draft later this month.
Today, let's focus on the tight end position.
What Changed:
Just this week, the Cowboys added veteran Jeremy Sprinkle to the mix. After four seasons in Washington, Sprinkle only had 34 receptions, but hasn't missed a game in three years. That suggests he's more of a blocking tight end, something the Cowboys lost when Blake Bell left in free agency for Kansas City.
What's Here:
With Sprinkle now on the team, he joins two tight ends that are both less experienced, but still have more production as receivers. Blake Jarwin is returned from a torn ACL injury that kept him out for most of last season. After signing his four-year, $22 million deal last March, Jarwin is still expected to be the starting tight end. But his replacement Dalton Schultz filled in nicely last year with 63 receptions and should give the Cowboys another pass-catching threat in this offense.
The only other tight end on the roster currently is Sean McKeon, who played 14 games last season with one start, but did not record a catch. He was more of a blocker and special teams contributor.
What's Next:
This week, there have been published reports that say Jerry Jones is "enamored" by Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. In reality, who isn't? Pitts is a rare prospect at tight end that runs faster than most receivers but will be a mismatch nightmare as a tight end. He's expected to be a Top 10 pick, perhaps even the first non-quarterback drafted. Does Jerry Jones really have interest in drafting Pitts and adding to this already potent-offense? Or is he using this a pre-draft ploy when he really just wants more defensive players to be available when he picks at No. 10. Either way, it's not likely a tight end is drafted by the Cowboys in the first round. But what about later in the draft? There's a chance for that if the right player falls to them. Let's not forget Schultz is in a contract season and Jarwin is relatively unproven as a starter. So taking a tight end for the future is never out of the question.
