INDIANAPOLIS — In late February, Cowboys tight end Blake Jarwin underwent surgery for a hip injury that is considered uncommon for an active NFL player, and the rare waters cloud his future with the team, sources said Thursday.
Jarwin is expected to miss the next several months and not be ready for the start of the regular season. While the Cowboys could keep him on their roster, reducing his salary and allowing him to rehabilitate on the Physically Unable to Perform list, they also could release him.
If Jarwin is cut, he likely would be eligible for Injury Protection Benefit, as stipulated in the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. Under these terms, Dallas would pay Jarwin $2 million of his owed $4.5 million salary.
Either way, the Cowboys are expected to complete a maneuver that will end with Jarwin counting less against the 2022 salary cap than the $5.85 million for which he is currently on the books.
The hip injury is more commonly seen in sports like hockey and basketball, one source said Thursday.
Jarwin signed a three-year, $24.25 million extension in 2020, proving deserving of that amount with his combination of size and field-stretching speed. But a horrible string of injury misfortune followed. He suffered a non-contact ACL tear in the 2020 season opener at the Los Angeles Rams, the first NFL game played at SoFi Stadium. After surgery, he recovered but dealt with hip pain throughout the 2021 season.
The situation reinforces to the Cowboys the importance of retaining Dalton Schultz.
Schultz stepped up consistently during the past two seasons. In 2021, he caught 78 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns, adding seven catches for 89 yards during a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent March 16, but mutual interest exists to complete a deal before then, sources said. He is also a candidate for the franchise tag by Tuesday. If Schultz is tagged, the Cowboys would continue to work to sign him to a long-term extension, which would be less impactful against their 2022 salary cap.
Chances are Schultz will be on the Cowboys’ roster next season.
The future for Jarwin, his closest friend on the team, is more in doubt.
