Rico Gathers

Cleveland Browns
Tight End #80
Cleveland Browns
Tight End #80

Rico Gathers News

Cut loose by Browns

Cleveland waived Gathers on Tuesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Analysis: Gathers was reinstated from his one-game suspension Monday after sitting out Sunday's season-opener, but it seems the 25-year-old won't suit up for Cleveland at all. Gathers played in 15 games for Dallas last season as a rookie, logging three catches for 45 yards on seven targets.

Sep 10, 2019 9:09 AM EST


Returns from suspension

Gathers was reinstated from his one-game suspension on Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.

Analysis: Gathers was forced to sit out the season opener due to a violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy, but he's ready to join the Browns for Week 2. The 25-year-old's return means there's five available tight ends currently on the 53-man roster.

Sep 9, 2019 3:36 PM EST



Signs with Cleveland

Gathers (suspension) signed a contract with the Browns on Sunday.

Analysis: Gathers was waived by the Cowboys on Wednesday and went unclaimed, making him a free agent. He's facing a one-game suspension for violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. He'll be competing for a depth tight end and special teams role with the Browns.

Aug 11, 2019 9:16 AM EST


Officially free agent

Gathers (suspension) went unclaimed on waivers Wednesday, making him an unrestricted free agent, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.

Analysis: Gathers was recently cut by the Cowboys early this week, and will be able to sign with any team in the league. Willing parties will certainly take into account that he's suspended for one game of the 2019 season before they give him a chance. The Baylor product will hope to latch on as a depth tight end elsewhere.

Aug 7, 2019 4:18 PM EST


Experiment over in Dallas

The Cowboys cut Gathers on Monday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

Analysis: Gathers has been touted as a tight end to watch since he was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. Instead, he spent his rookie season on the Cowboys' practice squad, idled on IR in 2017 with concussion symptoms that bled into the ensuing offseason, and hauled in just three of seven targets in 15 games last fall. With his experiment in Dallas over, Gathers will look to land a gig elsewhere as a depth tight end.

Aug 5, 2019 4:29 PM EST



Misses practice Tuesday

Gathers was unable to participate during Tuesday's practice due to an ankle injury, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Analysis: It's unclear how he picked up the injury, but it's serious enough to hold him out of practice. Gathers is already facing a one-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, now an ankle issue will continue to pile on the negative news. The Baylor product has been slightly injury prone to this point of his career, as he dealt with concussion symptoms throughout 2017 also.

Jul 30, 2019 4:36 PM EST


Suspended one game

Gathers will be suspended without pay for Week 1 of the 2019 regular season, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.

Analysis: The 25-year-old tight end is facing discipline for a violation of the NFL's policy on substances of abuse. Gathers picked up some steam in the preseason a couple years ago, but he struggled with concussion symptoms throughout the 2017 campaign and then finished 2018 with only three receptions. A suspension won't help his chances to stick around on the 53-man roster for another year.

Jun 14, 2019 1:18 PM EST


Quiet in 2018

Gathers finished the regular season with three catches on seven targets for 45 yards.

Analysis: While he suited up for 15 games -- the first regular-season action of his NFL career -- Gathers never played more than 18 snaps on offense, and six of his seven targets came before the Cowboys' Week 8 bye. He's still got the size and athleticism to potentially make an impact if everything comes together for him, but the former college basketball player remains a long shot to ever provide fantasy value.

Jan 19, 2019 8:19 AM EST


Catchless in loss

Gathers was unable to convert his lone target into a catch during Sunday's 20-17 loss to Washington.

Analysis: Gathers has not been targeted multiple times in a game since Week 2. That might change following the bye as starter Geoff Swaim deals with a sprained MCL. Should Swaim miss any time, the pickings are relatively slim with Gathers and Blake Jarwin tied with two catches and six targets apiece on the season. Keep an eye on Swaim's injury status and Jarwin and Gathers' competition ahead of what should be a difficult Week 9 matchup against Tennessee.

Oct 23, 2018 8:23 PM EST


Getting more snaps

Gathers caught one pass for 14 yards while playing a career-high 14 offensive snaps during Sunday's 40-7 victory over the Jaguars.

Analysis: A week after recording the first reception of his professional career last Sunday against Houston, Gathers followed up with another catch this week on a bootleg that set the Cowboys up for the team's second touchdown of the day. While the Baylor product still isn't seeing enough playing time -- let alone targets -- to justify being rostered in most fantasy formats, it's nonetheless encouraging that he's averaged over 10 offensive snaps over the past three weeks after seeing just five apiece in Week 2 and Week 3 (Gathers was inactive for Week 1).

Oct 15, 2018 2:14 PM EST


No receptions in first NFL action

Gathers failed to catch either of his targets in Sunday night's win over the Giants.

Analysis: Both times Dak Prescott threw his way, the quarterback was scrambling to get away from the Giants' pass rush, which suggests that Gathers isn't yet among the QB's first reads. The tight end's athleticism and wingspan should earn him more trust in the offense now that he's beginning to prove he can get open, though, and his two targets were two more than the rest of Dallas' tight ends combined. He's worth keeping an eye on as his role grows, but as yet Gathers' fantasy value is minimal.

Sep 17, 2018 7:53 AM EST


Active for SNF

Gathers is active for Sunday's game against the Giants, David Helman of the Cowboys' official site reports.

Analysis: Gathers was a healthy inactive Week 1 in Carolina and has yet to make an appearance in a regular-season game. Dalton Schultz will be the scratch this week, leaving Gathers, Blake Jarwin and Geoff Swaim as the Cowboys' options at tight end. None of the bunch is a stron bet to draw more than three or four targets.

Sep 16, 2018 4:17 PM EST


Sitting in Week 1

Gathers (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's Week 1 matchup against the Panthers, David Helman of the team's official site reports.

Analysis: Gathers will thus be in street clothes for his first game on the Cowboys' 53-man roster. The athletic tight end is still reportedly a work in progress as both a blocker and pass catcher after excelling as a college basketball player at Baylor.

Sep 9, 2018 12:17 PM EST


May not suit up Week 1

Gathers will likely be competing with rookie Dalton Schultz for a spot on the 46-man game-day roster each week, Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Analysis: The Cowboys are expected to have only three tight ends in uniform each week, with Geoff Swaim and Blake Jarwin locked into the top two spots on the depth chart. Gathers is the only member of the group with significant upside as a pass catcher, but while coach Jason Garrett said Monday that he's shown progress as a blocker and special teams player, he may not be at a point yet where he's trusted with those assignments. Garrett also spoke of "consequences" stemming from Gathers' arrest for marijuana possession, so the third-year player could be facing a suspension from the team regardless of whether the league also decides to hand down punishment.

Sep 5, 2018 8:32 AM EST


Makes final roster

Gathers made the Cowboys' 53-man roster, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Analysis: Gathers emerged from the preseason with 10 catches (on 13 targets) for 83 yards, finally fulfilling some of the potential that's been promised. He threw a wrench into his potential to make the team, though, with Friday's arrest for marijuana possession. While he was able to post bond Saturday morning, the question remained whether Gathers would make the roster. Indeed, he has, but he may be subject to the NFL's personal conduct policy with the transgression.

Sep 1, 2018 1:12 PM EST


Arrested Friday

Gathers was arrested Friday night in Frisco, Texas for marijuana possession, Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Analysis: Owner Jerry Jones hinted on Friday that Gathers would likely land a spot on the 53-man roster, but those comments were made before legal woes came to light. With cuts due by 4 PM ET, the Cowboys will have an interesting decision on their hands with a tight end that hasn't been able to put it all together in his transition from college basketball player to the NFL.

Sep 1, 2018 8:14 AM EST


Logs five receptions

Gathers reeled in five of seven targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 27-3 preseason loss to the Cardinals.

Analysis: Gathers was the Cowboys' most heavily targeted player on the day, though most of his output came on short routes against the Cardinals' second- and third-team defense. At 6-foot-6 and 282 pounds, Gathers boasts the size and athleticism teams value at tight end, but his unrefined blocking has likely put him behind Geoff Swaim and Blake Jarwin on the depth chart. Additionally, the Cowboys invested a fourth-round pick in Dalton Schultz this spring, which could result in Gathers failing to crack the final 53-man roster if Dallas elects to keep only three tight ends.

Aug 27, 2018 9:05 AM EST


Leads team in receiving versus Bengals

Gathers caught two of three targets for 32 yards during Saturday's 21-13 preseason loss to the Bengals.

Analysis: Gathers led the team in receiving on the night, thanks in large part to a 25-yard reception on his team's last possession of the game. The likes of Dalton Schultz, Geoff Swaim and Blake Jarwin combined for 13 targets, though the trio only managed a total of 45 receiving yards. Gathers seemingly still has the opportunity to claim a roster spot and he'll look to build off a respectable showing next week against the Cardinals.

Aug 18, 2018 8:59 PM EST


Catches one pass in preseason opener

Gathers turned his lone target into a nine-yard gain during Thursday's preseason opener against the 49ers.

Analysis: Gathers watched as the likes of Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz garnered more attention from the Dallas quarterbacks, waiting until the final drive of the game to garner his only reception. Even more discouraging for Gathers' case was that Geoff Swaim, the most experienced player of the bunch, didn't play in this one. The Dallas tight end battle remains open, but Gathers seemingly has a ways to go before the end of the preseason to claim a roster spot.

Aug 10, 2018 5:51 AM EST


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