Dallas Cowboys should find a bigger role for Jeff Heath

After an impressive showing in the playoffs, Dallas Cowboys safety Jeff Heath has likely earned himself a bigger role in 2017.

Prior to their playoff matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round, Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers hadn’t thrown an interception in his last eight contests. But then Rodgers ran into Cowboys reserve safety Jeff Heath. The 26-year core special teamer picked off the Packer gunslinger twice, one of which was called back due to an off-the-ball penalty.

Against Green Bay, in the Cowboys biggest game of the season, Heath also recorded three tackles and a bone-crushing sack on Rodgers that probably should have resulted in a game-changing fumble. Despite his heroics, Dallas still lost the postseason contest 34-31 on a last second field goal.

During the regular season, Heath recorded 23 tackles, had two pass defends and one interception in very limited action. The former undrafted rookie out of Saginaw Valley State University back in 2013 is the Cowboys special teams ace. But Heath averaged just under 13 defensive snaps per game last season.

So after Heath’s lights out performance in the postseason, does the four-year safety deserve more playing time in 2017? One Cowboys insider believes so.

"“…I’ve long believed people have been much too harsh on [Jeff] Heath,” responded ESPN.com’s Todd Archer to a mailbag question recently. “He was asked to start and play a key role as a rookie when he wasn’t really ready. He has steadily gotten better. He has a nose for the ball. He knows how to keep himself out of harm’s way in terms of understanding strengths of the opponents…The Cowboys went with a rotation of sorts when [Barry] Church, Byron Jones and J.J. Wilcox…and I think they could do the same with Church, Jones and Heath in 2017.”"

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Just how much of a role Heath will play next season will also be influenced by what the Cowboys do this offseason. Both safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox are free agents. If Dallas elects not to re-sign even one of the two veterans, Heath is a near lock for a promotion. And with yet another offseason to grow and develop, don’t be surprised if the career special teamer is starting besides safety Byron Jones at some point in 2017.