Dallas Cowboys: 5 Free agent tight end targets who could start in 2019

Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images
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Dallas Cowboys
ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 30: Geoff Swaim #87 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter of a game at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

4. Geoff Swaim

This one may feel like cheating since Geoff Swaim has spent his entire career with the Cowboys, but he is technically a free agent. Swaim is also widely expected to leave as the belief is the Cowboys will try and bring in a player to start who offers more in the passing game than Swaim did.

While it is true that Swaim wasn’t a huge threat to do much through the air, he was starting to come around some before a broken wrist ended his 2018 season prematurely. The fourth-year pro was thrust into a starting role this past season when Jason Witten unexpectedly retired and had just nine career receptions.

That was mainly by design as the Cowboys used Swaim as an extra blocker for the first three seasons of his career — which was unsurprising as they traded back into the seventh round of the 2015 Draft to select Swaim due to the blocking prowess he showed at Texas.

Swaim then blew away his career numbers by catching 26 passes for 242 yards and a score in nine games. Projected out over 16 games, that would have given him 46 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers might not be sexy, but it proves he’s a capable player at the position.

The fact that his numbers don’t blow anyone away could also be a reason to bring him back on a one or two-year deal. Swaim is the type of player who could do the job, but could also slide back to a blocking tight end should either Jarwin or Schultz make huge strides this offseason.