Rumor: Dallas Cowboys will likely discuss Jarryd Hayne

The Dallas Cowboys special teams unit failed the team twice in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s loss to their divisional rivals, the New York Giants. First, the Cowboys gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown to former Dallas special teams ace Dwayne Harris, giving the Giants a 27-20 lead with 7:14 left in the game. Then, with only less than two minutes left in the contest, Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley muffed a punt return which resulted in a fumble and a turnover that robbed Dallas of their one final chance to win the game.

Finding an adequate special teams returner has been an issue ever since the Cowboys lost Harris to the G-Men via free agency this offseason. Undrafted rookie receiver Lucky Whitehead was expected to earn the job earlier this year. But inconsistency and fumbles in the preseason left him all but a forgotten man for most of the regular season.

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With the season ending injury suffered by all-purpose running back Lance Dunbar earlier this year, Beasley, Whitehead and wide out Devin Street have been handling the returning duties. Unfortunately, they are simply not very good. The Cowboys currently rank 23rd in kickoff return average (21.7 yards per) and 31st in punt return average (3.5 yards per).

Enter in former Rugby player Jarryd Hayne. The 27-year old Australian star shocked the NFL when he earned a spot on the San Francisco 49ers final roster earlier this year as a running back and special teamer. Displaying an awkward upright but gritty running style, Hayne wowed preseason audiences as both a runner and returner. During the preseason, he recorded 175 rushing yards on 25 carries in four games. That’s an average of seven yards per carry!

Against the Cowboys, in the second game of the preseason, Hayne amassed 54 rushing yards on eight carries including a nice 34-yard scamper. So Dallas knows firsthand what this natural athlete can do.

The 49ers surprisingly released Hayne on Saturday, probably hoping to stash him on their practice squad. But franchises that need special teams help. like the Cowboys. are likely interested in obtaining his services. And that’s exactly what DallasCowboys.com analyst Bryan Broaddus confirmed Saturday night via Twitter, indicating he’s heard the Cowboys could discuss Hayne as an option.

Some of you have asked about Hayne in SF. Was told that likely to have some discussions about him Monday.
— BryanBroaddus (@BryanBroaddus) November 1, 2015

But there is a reason why Hayne is on the waiver wire as he’s struggled to even get on the field this season with the 49ers. And when he’s had opportunities, he simply hasn’t made the best of them.

First off, Hayne has only played a total of 29 snaps so far this season. He’s recorded 25 rushing yards on just eight attempts. A far cry from his preseason performances.

Hayne does eight punt returns for 76 yards, averaging 9.5 yards per. Much better than the Cowboys current 3.5 average. Where the problem lies is Hayne has also had three fumbles. Only one of which was lost. Still, the 49ers clearly don’t trust the young prospect.

One of the other possible reasons for his recent release was due to Hayne’s massive media presence. Being asked about the status of your third-string running back every single day can get overwhelming and could certainly become a distraction for a team.

Hayne is a major star in Australia and has a massive Aussie following. It’s something the Cowboys are used to dealing with and seem to handle very well. In fact, Dallas owner and general manger Jerry Jones would likely welcome all the notoriety a player like Hayne brings with him. It certainly wouldn’t hurt the team’s jersey sales.

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Obviously, 29 regular season snaps is a very small sample size to judge Hayne on. As he showed in the preseason, Jarryd certainly has the physical abilities to play on this level. He’s simply very raw when it comes to American football.

If the Cowboys are looking for an instant upgrade for their special teams unit, Hayne may not be the answer. But as a developmental player, there could be a potential superstar for the taking…if Dallas is willing to be patient.

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