FRISCO, Texas — There is no doubt about it: the Dallas Cowboys made the perfect choice in
selecting tight end Jake Ferguson in the first round and giving him the starting TE1 position in just
his second season of professional football.
Some of the greatest players in league and/or team history have played at this position; the list is
led by future Hall of Famer Jason Witten, who made highlight reels without a helmet, a healthy
spleen, or an unbroken jaw.
You are aware if you are.
And the question isn’t can Ferguson fill those shoes, but rather who can complement him going
forward as he works his best to try and do so.
Past: The tight end position in Dallas has a rich history, even with a few down years in between
legendary players putting on the Cowboys uniform.
The Cowboys were fortunate to have had the services of great players like Billy Joe Dupree during
the Roger Staubach/Danny White era. Although many may not be aware of it, Mike Ditka, the
renowned former head coach of the Chicago Bears, also held this position and is currently inducted
into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Now fast forward to when Jason Witten later elevated the position to a level never seen before, and
every Cowboys fan worth their salt should be aware of Jay Novacek, the literal cowboy turned
Cowboy.
Witten, a local ironman who holds the franchise record for most games played (255), is a lock to be
inducted into the Hall of Fame once he gets eligible. He also has more receptions (1,215) and
receiving yards (12,977) than Michael Irvin. These are records from a 16-season tenure for the
Cowboys that are probably going to last for future generations.
With Witten behind him at TE2, there was frequently a bit of a revolving door that brought back
memories of Martellus Bennett, James Hanna, and the late Gavin Escobar (who became a fan
favourite during his stint with the team). Witten’s stability and consistency helped Dallas weather
this.
Thanks to Witten and the other superstars who came before him, the new group of tight ends has a
lot to live up to, as will any who follow. However, Jake Ferguson is off to a great start after
succeeding Dalton Schultz as the starting tight end.
Present: The decision by the Cowboys to select Ferguson as their eventual successor in the fourth
round of the 2022 NFL Draft—which, ironically, happened to be the same round in which they
discovered Schultz back in 2018—put the veteran tight end on notice that, once his franchise tag
expired, his time in Dallas was virtually over. Schultz was statistically Dak Prescott’s favourite
target during his time in Dallas. The splash that Ferguson and his undrafted rookie Peyton
Hendershot made would virtually insure this became a reality.
There was a great deal of excitement in the tight ends room about what lay ahead. Schultz
eventually signed with the Houston Texans, but Ferguson was first in line to become the team’s top
tight end. However, there was a small bump in the road when the team decided to select Luke
Schoonmaker with their second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
To his credit, though, Ferguson didn’t consider the choice to be disparaging. Rather than backing
down, he not only welcomed Schoonmaker and provided him with rapid, easy, and regular
coaching, but he also found a higher gear for Year 2. After a breakout season in which Ferguson
established himself as one of the NFL’s greatest tight ends (a fact that Travis Kelce also recognised),
any debate over who leads Dallas’ tight end position is now settled.
Ferguson, without a doubt.
Future: Now that the most important question has been resolved, there are still a few unanswered
questions in the TEs room. To start with, the veteran player in the room, Sean McKeon, played 142
special teams snaps and 100 offensive snaps in 2023 alone. However, in December, he was sent on
injured reserve to make room for Hendershot, who was coming off of injured reserve.
Although tight ends coach Lunda Wells and head coach Mike McCarthy adore McKeon, who is
currently an unrestricted free agent, it is unclear if he will sign a new contract for a fifth season. On
the one hand, there is reason to keep McKeon in a Cowboys uniform given that he is inexpensive,
an excellent blocker, and an absolute pro.
However, as Hendershot enters Year 3 after a largely forgettable Year 2 (a few memorable special
teams plays notwithstanding), the team needs to see what he can really become. The majority of
Year 2 was spent on injured reserve. And then there’s John Stephens Jr., an undrafted rookie who
impressed in his first NFL training camp ever last July.
Despite the possibility of suffering an ACL tear during the preseason and having to sit out a year, he
has a very high ceiling considering his versatility as a tight end and outside receiver, as well as his
size and quickness, which make him a dangerous threat in the red zone.
It appears increasingly likely that Hendershot and Stephens will compete for the opportunity to
challenge for TE3 at training camp. There isn’t a plausible way that a healthy Schoonmaker (again,
a second-round pick) could be limited to anything less than TE2, at the very least.
Plantar fasciitis kept Schoonmaker out of most of his first training camp, so everyone involved will
need to watch him closely this offseason to determine what he can become in 2024.
And so it continues: Ferguson is the only player at the position who is guaranteed a spot, forcing
the other players to fight for reps behind him.
However, it’s a big problem to have this much potential in young people, especially one who is on
the verge of being outstanding.
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