Dallas Cowboys: How did Rico Gathers survive the cut?

The Dallas Cowboys slimmed down their roster to just 53 players over the weekend. Yet, it what the team didn’t do that has some scratching their heads.

When every Dallas Cowboys fan woke up over the weekend, they may have assumed that tight end Rico Gathers would have been released following his arrest on Friday night. Yet, the former basketball player is currently on the 53-man roster in Dallas, leaving many asking how.

Following his was arrest for possession of marijuana on Friday night, many thought it would be the end of Gathers’ time with the Cowboys. Entering his third season in Dallas, the former sixth round selection was unable to separate himself from the rest of the tight ends on the depth chart this offseason as he is still struggling to make the transition from basketball to the NFL.

It was believed Gathers was in a battle for a roster spot against 2018 fourth round selection Dalton Schultz. And although Rico seemed to have outperformed the rookie tight end out of Stanford throughout the preseason and training camp, it seemed unlikely Dallas would give up on a relatively high draft pick so quickly.

But in a move that surprised the NFL world, the player that seemed to be released instead was longtime veteran kicker Dan Bailey.

Many are still trying to figure out just how Gathers survived the cut over the weekend. But comments made by the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last week should give us a picture as to why. Here’s what Jones told 105.3 The Fan prior to roster cuts in Dallas.

"“At this point today, we got to put our finger on what [Gathers] can do for us, can he help us win. We do make decisions based on future potential, but we do have to specifically identify how he can help us now … my inclination is we can do that.”"

So what does Gathers bring to the table? He’s a dynamic weapon, specifically in the redzone, that the Cowboys haven’t had in a long time. At 6-foot-6, 282 pounds, Gathers is a physical mismatch against most defenders he will face. His ability to stretch the field and make plays on the ball along with his size give quarterback Dak Prescott and this offensive an advantage.

Which leads us to the problem. We know about Gathers’ struggles with the playbook and his inability to win the trust of the coaching staff so far. But following his arrest, availability could suddenly become an issue if the NFL decides to levy a punishment.

For now, Rico Gathers has made the Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster. What impact will he have on gamedays is still unknown. But this is something fans have been clamoring for ever since Gathers scored two touchdowns in his first two preseason games last year. And the fact Dallas kept him on the team despite his arrest is a sign of just how much they like his potential.

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