FRISCO, Texas – Weeks removed from a significant 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 waived/injured designation, but the Cowboys can save roughly $3.8 million in cap space while carrying a charge of only $2 million.
By being waived/injured, Jarwin qualifies for an injury settlement with the team, which will allow him to recoup 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 tabbed Jarwin as their tight end of the future following the second retirement of Jason Witten after the 2019 season, as the glimpses of his potential had given them confidence he could grow into a playmaker with more opportunity.
Injuries, unfortunately, got in the way. Jarwin tore his ACL just two quarters into the 2020 season, going down for the year in the first half of a Week 1 loss to the L.A. Rams – a harbinger of what was to come in an injury-ravaged season for the Cowboys.
Jarwin rehabbed that injury diligently 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 sent to injured reserve again on Oct. 31, when he took a hard hit against Minnesota and severely injured his hip. He returned for the last game of the regular season and the playoff loss to San Francisco, but that hip injury required the surgery that currently has him facing a long rehab process.
Originally an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, Jarwin caught on 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 prevent him from being poached 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 showing up 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.
