DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys released placekicker Greg Zuerlein and tight end Blake Jarwin in a pair of several moves they made to their roster Friday heading into the start of the 2022 NFL calendar year.
Zuerlein had a contract for one more year, after two with more pain than glory since he arrived as a free agent from the Los Angeles Rams, before the 2020 season.
In two seasons with the Cowboys, Zuerlein made just 82.9 percent of his field goal attempts (63/76); worse still, he was complicated by extra points, as rarely happens in the NFL. He only made 89.3 percent (75/84).
Since arriving from Los Angeles, Zuerlein has struggled with physical issues, including a back injury, surgery for which caused him to miss the entire 2021 offseason schedule and start training until the final week of preseason.
The only field goal, kickoff and extra-point kicker on the Cowboys’ current roster is newly signed Chris Naggar, who has only one game of experience last season with the Cleveland Browns.
With Jarwin, the situation was worse. After a strong 2019 season, the Cowboys gave the tight end a four-year, $22 million contract.
But he blew out a knee in the first game of the 2020 season, which prevented him from playing the rest of the year and training until the penultimate week of the previous preseason camp, with no participation in exhibition games.
To make matters worse, he hurt his back last season, in which he only appeared in eight games, receiving 11 passes for 96 yards.
The aftermath of that injury caused Jarwin to have surgery this offseason and it’s unlikely he’ll be ready to practice when the next training camp begins.
The domino started for the #DallasCowboys.
Dalton Schultz’s franchise tag, contract restructurings and Noah Brown’s contract are just the first moves in the game heading into the 2022 season.
➡️https://t.co/0n0NyZRK7B pic.twitter.com/4h9UDh7CmQ
– We are Cowboys (@SomosCowboys) March 9, 2022
As Jarwin recovered from his injuries, tight end Dalton Schultz seized his opportunities to become one of Dallas’ primary offensive weapons, which rewarded him with the franchise tag in hopes of landing a multiyear deal before the season. July 15 deadline.
Thus ends Jarwin’s stay in Dallas, who arrived without pain or glory, as a rookie free agent in 2018, when he began to show flashes in his passing game, which placed him as the replacement for Jason Witten’s departure, as wing closed holder.
The cut of Zuerlein and Jarwin frees up 5 million dollars in the salary cap for the Cowboys, who are still in the process of deciding how to open up more space towards free agency that begins next Wednesday, when the priority will be to renew the contract. several of his potential free agents.
The Cowboys are yet to decide the future of wide receiver Amari Cooper, who, if fired or traded, will free up $16 million in the cap.
They have also tried a reduction in the salary of defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who according to various reports did not accept, so they will have to define his status in the coming days.
The Cowboys also released backup running back Ito Smith and cornerback/safety Reggie Robinson II, who appeared in only five games, mostly on special teams, after being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.
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Cowboys cut Zuerlein and Jarwin