FRISCO, Texas – Weeks after major offseason surgery, the Cowboys confirmed the release of Blake Jarwin on Friday.
The news comes as the front office continues to solidify its salary cap situation for the start of the new league year. Technically, the move qualifies as a released/injured designation, but the Cowboys stand to save roughly $3.8 million in salary-cap space while carrying a d of just $2 million.
Upon release/injury, Jarwin qualifies for an injury settlement with the team, which will allow him to recover some of his earnings.
It’s a sad development for a player who signed a four-year, $22 million extension just two years ago. The Cowboys pinpointed Jarwin as their tight end of the future following Jason Witten’s second retirement after the 2019 season, as glimpses of his potential had given them confidence that he could develop into a player with more opportunities.
Injuries, unfortunately, got in the way. Jarwin tore his ACL just two quarters into the 2020 season, sitting out the rest of the year in the first half of a Week 1 loss to the LA Rams, a harbinger of things to come in a season devastated by injuries for the Cowboys.
Jarwin diligently rehabbed from that injury and returned in time for training camp, appearing in the first seven games of the year and catching 10 balls for 90 yards and a touchdown. He was placed on injured reserve again on Oct. 31, when he took a hard hit against Minnesota and severely injured his hip. He returned for the final game of the regular season and playoff loss to San Francisco, but that hip injury required surgery that currently puts him through a lengthy rehabilitation process.
Jarwin, originally an undrafted free agent from Oklahoma State, excelled in 2017 and impressed enough to make the Cowboys’ practice squad coming out of training camp. In mid-October of his rookie season, he was promoted to the active roster to keep from being picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles.
In all, Jarwin appeared in 43 games for the Cowboys, catching 70 passes for 780 yards and eight touchdowns. He had a knack for standing out against the New York Giants, as he caught 11 passes for 200 yards and five touchdowns against the Cowboys’ divisional rivals, including an incredible Week 17 game in 2018 that saw him catch seven passes for 119 yards. and three touchdowns.
