Dallas Cowboys: Can Rico Gathers make the 53-man roster?

Tight end Rico Gathers has been an ongoing project for the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff. But has he advanced his skills enough to make the game day roster?

Despite not playing a single down of college football, Rico Gathers was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Apparently the former Baylor University basketball star flashed enough potential during his pre-draft workout for Dallas to roll the dice.

The inexperienced tight end spent the 2016 season on the Cowboys practice squad. Tight ends currently on the depth chart ahead of Gathers are Jason Witten, James Hanna and Geoff Swaim.

Enter year two of the Rico Gathers experiment; has he progressed enough to crack the game day 53-man roster? With three experienced tight ends ahead of him, this may not be a reasonable expectation.

Football analyst for DallasCowboys.com, Bryan Broaddus, notes the uphill battle that Gathers faces, and even suggests a possible position change.

"“In my initial 53 man roster project, I have him making the squad as the 4th tight end behind Witten, Hanna and Swaim but it might be (a) stretch for him to dress each week. Something to keep an eye on during training camp is if Gathers continues to struggle that the staff might take a look at him as an offensive tackle? He has the frame and in a short area has shown some solid blocking traits,” stated Broaddus on the team’s official website."

Using Gathers at offensive tackle may seem like a wild stretch of the imagination. But Broaddus, a former NFL scout, has the experience to recognize the talent necessary to make such a transition.

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The Dallas Cowboys have shown a willingness to develop players at multiple positions in the recent past. Could a positional change be in Rico Gathers future? If Gathers can offer help at an additional spot on the offensive line, it certainly wouldn’t hurt his odds to make the game day roster.