Blake Jarwin hasn't been on the field nearly as much as the Cowboys would have hoped when they signed him to a contract extension during the 2020 offseason, but to hear Mike McCarthy tell it Thursday morning, the playmaking tight end could become available at exactly the right time.
Jarwin suffered a hip injury during the Cowboys October 31st victory over the Minnesota Vikings and has been sidelined since. He also missed all but a few quarters of the 2020 season with a torn ACL suffered in the opening game.
He has officially been designated to return from injured reserve, and McCarthy said that Jarwin looked impressive both on Wednesday as well as during a Saturday practice before the Cardinals game.
"I thought Blake had a nice day," McCarthy said Thursday morning. "He's put together two really good days. It's exciting. I saw him this morning. He was a little sore, which is to be expected, but he felt really good."
Speaking of his soreness, McCarthy quotes Jarwin's comment to him: "Don't watch me walk, watch me run," Jarwin joked.
"I thought he looked really good running," McCarthy claimed. "Tomorrow (Friday) will be a big day for him. We'll try to give him a whole lot tomorrow to see if he'll be ready to go.
His progress leaves the opportunity for Jarwin to return this Saturday against the Eagles or to take another week to recover and potentially return for the Cowboys' first playoff game. Dalton Schultz has taken the majority of snaps at tight end in Jarwin's absence and has achieved a career year. But with the announcement that wide receiver Michael Gallup will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, adding another playmaker to the fold will be a welcome sign for the postseason.
"When you have two tight ends that can do really good things with space and have matchup challenges, it gives you flexibility."
