t is unclear if the Dallas Cowboys will end up making a move before the NFL trade deadline, but they have a key option in a Chicago Bears tight end. In the latest of recent links, Bears TE Robert Tonyan was listed as a possible pickup by the Cowboys before the end of October.
Dallas’ tight end group is led by Jake Ferguson, but the rest of the group has been an afterthought. Improving that group could be beneficial for Dallas’ running and passing game. In an October 23 article, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested Tonyan as a name to watch.
“Red-zone efficiency remains a massive issue,” Knox begins. “The Cowboys have converted just 39.1 percent of their red-zone trips into touchdowns… Offensively, the Cowboys could target a power back like [Derrick Henry] or perhaps a complementary tight end like Tonyan… President, franchise owner and general manager Jerry Jones should be eager to add at the deadline.
Tonyan is an enticing idea for head coach Mike McCarthy’s offense due to his versatility. While he doesn’t boast the same athletic profile as Ferguson, he is well versed as a blocker. He also has a reliable pair of hands, and could be the answer to the Cowboys’ redzone troubles as another big target in the end zone.
Tonyan Has History with Mike McCarthy
Robert Tonyan entered the NFL in 2017 as a undrafted free agent. He initially signed with the Detroit Lions, but was cut before the season began. After sitting in limbo, the Green Bay Packers and McCarthy picked Tonyan up for the last four games of the season.
The current Cowboys coach was impressed by Tonyan’s contributions the following season, but he wasn’t initially a pass-catching weapon. That changed when he took a 54-yard reception to the endzone, but his role was still limited.
