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TE Rico Gathers, Free Agent (1 Viewer)
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Interseptopus
Footballguy
well, it's not the first time the secret formula didn't work. wont be the last. time to cut bait here fairly soon to go after a new lotto ticket
Bad signs no doubt but I’d hold until we see where he goes if he’s cut. I truly believe that the Cowboys coaching staff are stubborn and don’t know what they’re doing with him - focusing on what he can’t do (blocking), rather than what he can. Another team may give him an opportunity to be used as a weapon in the passing game, where he showed in preseason last year that he has a lot of potential.
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
I posted awhile back that I believe Dallas will cut him and he'll catch a bunch of tds for someone else.
I still believe that
socrates
Footballguy
What I am hearing out of Dallas makes perfect sense to me. The Cowboys are using Gathers almost exclusively as a blocker because that is the most significant flaw in his game and the thing most likely to prevent him from being a part of the team. Gathers is a very poor blocker. Also, as we would expect from someone who lacks experience at TE, he does not appear to have a grasp of other nuances of the position. When a defense shows blitz, does Gathers understand his assignment? Will he break off his route and give Dak an outlet receiver? Will he pick up a blitzing defender? Yes, he can outrun linebackers. Yes, he can out-maneuver defenders for contested balls. Yes, he has soft, natural hands. Yes, he is a dangerous weapon every time he touches the ball. However, Gathers is a major liability for the Cowboys' offense until (unless) he develops. If Gathers did not invest the last year working hard to improve his deficiencies, he will not and should not make the final roster. My suspicion from what we are hearing is that Gathers has failed to make that kind of commitment to being a professional football player. I hope I am proven wrong.
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Dawg Pound 69
Footballguy
If he hasn't progressed enough to get playing time or even make the team with Dallas who has one of the worst TE groups in the league, then not much hope of him becoming relevant on another team. He would be starting over in having to learn a new offense while also improving in blocking and over football IQ. Only positive would be maybe fewer distractions in a different city. He seems to be spending a lot of time in the Dallas clubs as he has a lot of friends in the area having played at Baylor. I had high hopes for him and am surprised that spotty work ethic is a major part of what's holding him back. That was his biggest positive trait which allowed him to succeed as a college basketball player, he hustled and outworked everybody for rebounds. He was tenacious. Just doesn't have that same drive for football.
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
You have no idea how good or bad the Cowboys TEs are. The Cowboys are also stuck in 1977 when it comes to what they value in a TE so even if Rico can’t be coached up in Dallas he can produce on another team the same way Martellus Bennentt did.Dawg Pound 69 said:
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Chaka
Footballguy
It is difficult to reverse engineer your logic for making that statement. After decade and a half with one of the most prolific pass catching TEs in NFL history it is difficult to fathom the Cowboys wanting to go back to the days of Billy Joe Dupree (or Jackie Smith).
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
Sean Payton is a better offensive mind but he’s a colossal ****. There’s only one guy in Dallas who walks around like King-ding-a-ling and his name isn’t “Sean”.
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STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
metoo
Footballguy
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
Agree but not everyone. Joe Gibbs, **** Vemeil, Don Shula, Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Mike Homlgren, Dungy, Cowher, Madden and George Seifert all won SBs and aren't considered jackasses.
Look, would I rather have Sean Payton instead of Garrett the past 10 years? Yes. Is Sean Payton a colossal Richard? Yes.
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Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
This seems like a weird comment to make when there is no set TE on the Cowboys roster. Why would a new place be good for him unless you are rooting for him to not make a team so you can drop him...
I understand when you think a guy is buried on the depth chart that and you want that player to go to a new team so he can get more opportunities, but that is not what is happening here. There is an open TE competition and Rico is losing.
Look, I’m realistic - I think there’s a very high chance he’s not worth a hold because he just might not be good but I don’t see much point letting go before training camp/ preseason and final cuts.
I really believe that the Cowboys are stubbornly setting him up to fail by trying to turn him into something he will never be (a complete TE), rather than focusing on what he could do. IMO there are other teams that may have more imagination, though he would face the challenge of getting up to speed in a new, different offence.
So yeah for me he’s still a hold, especially given the TE landscape. But only in deeper dynasty leagues.
I don’t think the Cowboys are interested in developing him into a receiving weapon (which he showed glimpses of last preseason). They seem obsessed with him being a good blocker - that’s fine, that’s their offense, but not every TE needs to be a great blocker.
I just think he has no opportunity really on the cowboys, despite the open depth chart. He’s never going to fit the mound they want. At least if he gets cut, there’s a chance a team with a more progressive coaching staff would give him a real shot. Sure it’s a small chance, but it still seems better than his future on the Cowboys.
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Bronco Billy
Footballguy
A TE who can’t/won’t block has to be an extraordinary receiver to get meaningful time on the field. If he isn’t going to be counted on as a blocker he puts the run game at a serious disadvantage, allowing the D to outnumber blockers in an area and not allowing tosses, outside isos and some traps as well. If that’s the case, it would be better in many cases to put an extra WR on the field. That way at least it forces to D to take a less aggressive pre-snap posture and it can widen run lanes. From what I’ve seen and heard, Rico may be a good athlete but he’s not a transcendent receiver. That pretty much dooms him anywhere unless he’s a good STer.
.
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The Buffalo Bills were one of the teams that scouted Gathers a few years ago, so perhaps they would pick him up if the Cowboys release him.
Buffalo Bills among many NFL teams showing interest in Baylor forward Rico Gathers
Buffalo Bills among many NFL teams showing interest in Baylor forward Rico Gathers
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
I think this is a false narrative that some are choosing to buy into. If Rico was even a good pass catcher why would they choose to cut him after losing Wiitten and Dez from last years pass catching options.RushHour said:
The truth, IMO, is that he is a great athlete, but not very good at football. The cowboys have tried to teach him some skills and don't feel he is better than the other 2 TEs that will make the team.
Just because one team does not understand what they got does not make them correct for releasing a player. Not saying Rico is a HOF player by any stretch but a lot of HOF players got cut before they emerged.
If Rico gets a chance to make plays like he did last preseason and makes them I honestly don't care if Dallas cuts him or not. He'll get picked up and I'll hold him until I see where he lands.
If Rico does nothing this preseason and gets cut, chances are I just give up as well.
In other words, I don't care what Dallas does, all that matters to me is what Rico does on the field this preseason.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
I would venture to say that your odds go down dramatically to become HOF or even a good player if a team cuts you. I know there are examples out there of players who change teams and their true talent shows, but I would think this is more of an exception than the rule.
Unless I am wrong about that, are you saying that you are able to predict the small percentage of times a player is destined for greatness after being cut?
Bronco Billy
Footballguy
I don’t think he did. When a team with absolutely no proven player at a position is looking to cut a player there despite having a long look at him, the odds of him being a difference maker on the team that picks him up after being cut are extraordinarily long.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
I already did. HOF was used an example that teams cut good players as you seemed to indicate that cutting him equates to he's not good at receiving.
No one is sitting around saying Rico is HOF player, that I can predict who is a HOF player or that Rico needs to be greatness to be worth hanging onto.You took an example I gave in a larger post and went sailing on this HOF/greatness reply. We are talking about a bottom of the roster player that the debate right now is whether or not he's worth hanging onto. I'm not Hall of Fame hunting, I'm hunting for a TE with some upside.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
I guess including, info about if they cutting Rico you don't care because there have been HOF players that got cut in the past, was strange if you in no way wanted to apply it to the case of Rico.
I think you may have missed my point as well. My overall point is saying that him getting cut is a good sign you should move on. There is no proven player in front of him on the Cowboys. Take that as a sign.
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
Right. But what he is saying is that the Cowboys might not, and most here would argue that they more than likely don’t know how to coach or aren’t willing to or creative enough to bend their system to fit a raw talent. If the Cowboys don’t hang on to Rico another team could still turn him into a productive player. Not unlike Anthony Fasano and Martellus Bennett.
If it’s true he is a talent, getting cut might be actually be the best thing for him rather than waste away and not get developed properly.
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smbkrypt24
Footballguy
I dont think it is that hard. Any NFL team that spends multiple years trying to develop a player and watch a player and determines they aren't even good enough to make their team knows more than we do.
I get there are examples of players that have produced with players in front of them that you provided. This is not the case here. Listen closely here, THERE IS NO PROVEN PLAYER ON THE ROSTER, that can play TE. Why would they cut him if there was even a remote chance he is a better player than any of the TEs they keep on the roster? I am not sure it is that hard to understand except for the people that own him on fantasy football rosters.
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
Several people have already offered their differing opinions on why Rico is worth a shot if you have or were looking for a lottery ticket.
No need to be a condescending jackass.
have a great day, Richard.
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The NFL team may know more than we do in terms of seeing the guy every day but NFL teams have often shown that they don’t necessarily know how to identify, develop or utilise talent. Although there is a recent trend of younger, more innovative coaching staffs, the NFL is very much still a jobs for the boys place, with dinosaurs in coaching positions.
Now again, I don’t think Rico will necessarily be worth holding - in fact, I agree that if you’re playing the percentages, the likelihood of him having any sort of relevance after a TE-needy team cuts him is remote, but I do think (false narrative or not) that Dallas is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole here (and their coaches are less than inspiring) and a guy with his physical gifts and raw talent is rare). I may be wrong but I’d be much more interested in seeing him with another team - if that other team thinks there’s nothing to work with, then he’s done.
The scarcity of quality fantasy TEs is also a factor here for me.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
Right, but the last two people to offer their differing opinions are saying the Cowboys as a whole don't know what they are doing as a franchise. More specifically you both are saying the Cowboys don't know how to develop Rico. It's strange to me that people would question the fact that they can't develop Rico and are going one step further and saying it is better for Rico to be cut because someone knows how to better develop him. I was all on board to pick him up as a flier before it was leaked he wouldn't make the team. I would now suggest that he isn't worth a roster spot.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
Also, thanks for cleaning it up with the edits? I never went to name calling or insults. I implied people had blinders on by saying him getting cut is a good thing. Once again that should be read again. "A player getting cut is a good thing for their fantasy football outlook." (The opposite side i have been cautioning against). That has to be a rare occurrence and I am suggesting this is not the case with Rico.
Hankmoody
Footballguy
Because his strengths don't line up with what the team wants. It's just like a corner that's a very good press corner with a DC that plays a lot of zone. That DC has 10 other guys executing a specific strategy and if that one CB can't hold up his role they will go get a less talented overall player that has the skillset required to fill the role. That DC has no need for a great man cover guy.
Dallas wants their TE's to be good blockers and secondarily be good at catching the ball. If Rico can't block well enough to meet their baseline then they have no need for a Jimmy Graham, let alone a Rico Gathers.
As others have said, his best bet would be to get cut and go to a team that has a lower baseline blocking requirement. NOS was fine with Graham being a speed bump for example, or someone that is willing to just consider Rico an oversized possession WR.
Steelers4Life
Footballguy
I'll echo the sentiment that if the Cowboys want a TE who can block and Gathers is more interested in becoming more of a "Graham type" of TE who excels as a receiver but doesn't do a lot of blocking, it'd be best for him to get released and potentially sign with a team that has or wants an offense that can utilize him as a receiver without asking him to block much if at all.
If the guy can run routes, get separation, and catch passes as a TE, he'll catch on somewhere even if he doesn't fit the mold of what the Cowboys want out of THEIR tight end.
If the guy can run routes, get separation, and catch passes as a TE, he'll catch on somewhere even if he doesn't fit the mold of what the Cowboys want out of THEIR tight end.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
There is no point in me saying the same thing over and over again so this will be my last post in response to people thinking its good for Rico to get cut from the Cowboys. If he was really that good at receiving they would find a roster spot for him instead of cutting him. There is not a proven TE on the roster. They need receiving options on that team.
Time will tell on if he really is good at receiving or if he just a gifted athlete who isn't good at football like i believe.
Hankmoody
Footballguy
Well you got two things wrong takes from my post, I said neither of those things.
Regarding the first - no, it's not good for him to get cut. But it's more not good for him to rot on their roster or taxi squad if they aren't going to embrace his strengths. He's better off going somewhere that might allow him to play to a better fit.
Regarding the second - I'm not suggesting he's good enough to get someone to modify their philosophy - obviously, since it was my entire point that they won't - but rather that someone else might be more willing to take him at face value and use him the way he is.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
Here is the progression that I was responding to as well as your post. When I said people I was also including their opinion as well. Here two separate people say it is a good thing or it doesn't hurt his value by being cut.
I wanted to make that clear that it wasn't just a direct reply to you. Alright, unless there is more confusion this is my final comment about Rico getting cut.
I said if he does well this preseason I don't care if Dallas cuts him or not, not the twisted version of my words you are presenting.
smbkrypt24
Footballguy
You actually said if given a chance to make plays and makes them. If thats what you interpret as he does well this preseason sure thats what you said.
I included your post in my reply so it isn't like I cut just the portion I wanted to fit the argument.
Yes that is what playing well in the preseason means but I did not say a thing about his value if he gets cut. I simply said if he makes plays I don't care what Dallas does, he's someone I'd hold until his landing spot shook out. I doubt anyone here would not rather see him just flat win the job in Dallas in camp but reality is setting in that he's not what the team is looking for in a TE but just because he is not what Dallas is looking for does not mean he can't play or is not what another team is looking for. It's really not that complicated.
at this thread
