Dallas Cowboys: Replacing an Aging Jason Witten

Aug 16, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end James Hanna (84) in game action against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Baltimore beat Dallas 37-30. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

There is a distinct possibility that James Hanna’s days as a Dallas Cowboy may be soon coming to a close. This may be premature to state, and yet I have trouble envisioning a scenario in which Hanna signs an extension after this season, if he even makes the 2015 roster.

Hanna becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2015 season, and with the Cowboys drafting Geoff Swaim in the 2015 Draft and signing him through 2018, it seems likely that Hanna will become a casualty at some point in the next year.

“It appears James Hanna will have his work cut out to make the team” writes Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News

But while I personally think it likely Hanna does not last long as a Cowboy, I must concede the fact that he does have a very useful skill set. Hanna was on the field for 337 snaps last season, and Pro Football Focus graded Hanna as the 18th best tight end in the league in terms of run blocking. With the Cowboys heavy focus on the run game, this makes him fairly valuable.

Behind Witten, Gavin Escobar has clearly been the primary tight end receiving target, and James Hanna has clearly been the primary run blocker. Hanna, however, has not been an effective option in the passing game, accumulating only 207 yards in his three seasons with the team.

Interestingly, Hanna’s 2012 NFL.com draft profile claims that he was “much more of a crafty receiving threat than he is a blocker.” This has certainly not proven to be the case in his career with the Cowboys, or else the team has simply not utilized him effectively.

Hanna’s measurables point to a player with similar traits to Jason Witten, if not to him being even more athletic. His actual play on the field, however, has shown that he is fairly limited in terms of what he can offer. If he can get a few more opportunities as a receiver, and make the most of these opportunities, he may find himself with a solid role on the team.

If he continues to be unable to emerge as an consistent receiving threat, however, it seems as though the Cowboys will begin the process of turning his role over to the younger Swaim.

Next: Ray Hamilton