What changes do you think the Cowboys should make to their tight end room?
The Cowboys have a lot of work to do this offseason, but one position that might cut them some slack is at tight end. They already have five young prospects signed up for 2025, including a former Pro Bowler and a second-round pick entering his third season. Of all the roster spots on offense and defense, TE may be the only one where Dallas can afford to do nothing and rely on existing assets.
Under Contract
Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens
Brevyn Spann-Ford, Princeton Fant
This time last year, Ferguson was coming off being a Pro Bowl alternate and generally considered one of the rising stars among NFL tight ends. But with a knee injury in the 2024 season opener, a concussion in Week 11, and the loss of his starting quarterback, Ferguson’s third season never really got going. Despite only missing three full games, he often looked a step slower physically and never found the same chemistry with Cooper Rush that he’d enjoyed with Dak Prescott.
With one year left on his rookie deal, Ferguson is going to be hungry to get back to 2023 form and clearly establish his worth before free agency. Arguably the most talented TE that the Cowboys have had since Jason Witten, he’s earned the chance to put last season behind him and return as the undisputed starter. And with Dallas needing to do some work at upgrading the WR room, trusting Ferguson to bounce back may be a necessity.
If there was a benefit to Ferguson’s absences and issues last year, it was more opportunities for Luke Schoonmaker to show what he’s got. A 2023 second-round pick, Schoonmaker was almost invisible as a rookie but finally got enough work to show that he’s a capable NFL player with the potential to at least be a solid number two. Like trusting in Ferguson to bounce back, this is another test of faith as you’re counting on Schoonmaker’s third-year development to yield a strong player in a key supporting role.
John Stephens Jr. has become the new Rico Dowdle in Dallas. A former wide receiver who’d bring position flex in the NFL, Stephens has been tracking toward a roster spot the last two years but suffered major injuries that have kept him out of real games. If healthy, he could be a valuable player providing depth at two positions and a helpful redzone target. But like we used to say with Dowdle, Stephens’ ability to actually stay healthy is the thing holding him back now.
Brevyn Spann-Ford and Princeton Fant are other undrafted prospects from the last two years that the Cowboys have some hopes for. Spann-Ford was TE2 during Ferguson’s absences and otherwise appeared in every game. They haven’t done enough that the team wouldn’t consider some other options in free agency or the draft, but they wouldn’t be the worst options for the bottom of your TE depth chart.
Free Agency
Given what’s already in place, this doesn’t seem like a year that the Cowboys will worry about free-agent tight ends. Leaning on Ferguson and Schoonmaker will allow Dallas to have a total cap hit of about $6-$7 million at the position. Considering the likes of Travis Kelce and George Kittle make $15-$17 million per year just on their own, that’s a huge boon for the team’s overall cap management which they need to take advantage of while they can.
Even if Dallas was interested in an upgrade through free agency, this is a bad year to need one. The best potential options are far from the elite; Mike Gesicki, Juwan Johnson, and Tyler Conklin being some of the top names. Even in a down year, Ferguson was still about as productive as those guys. And you’d like to think that Schoonmaker would be at least their equal with continued development.
At most, maybe the Cowboys consider veteran depth as competition for Schoonmaker and to provide insurance against Stephens’ health or the development of Spann-Ford and Fant. But that signing would likely come later in the offseason, perhaps even after the draft, as Dallas rounds out its training camp roster.
2025 NFL Draft
Unless the Cowboys have already decided against re-signing Ferguson in 2026, which seems unlikely, don’t expect them to spend an early pick at tight end. You’d only do that if you don’t see either Ferguson or Schoonmaker as TE1 beyond this year and want someone else in the pipeline. While some have mocked Penn State’s Tyler Warren to Dallas at the 12th pick, that feels like the wrong move given other roster needs.
Unless there’s tremendous value presented on Day 2, look for Dallas to wait until at least the fifth round before adding any additional tight ends. Like the potential veteran addition discussed in free agency, this rookie would be here to fill out the depth chart, potentially upgrade your developmental pool, and perhaps push Schoonmaker for playing time early. Blocking ability and special teams work become critical for those down-roster prospects.
Final Thoughts
Faith is the keyword in this TE discussion. Do you still believe in Jake Ferguson as an offensive weapon? Do you trust Luke Schoonmaker to prove himself worthy of being a second-round pick? Are you confident in the other prospects to grow into reliable depth options?
If so, you may not touch this position at all until after the draft. Between undrafted free agents and veterans still looking for work, you can grab a few more guys for Oxnard and see what shakes out. That strategy depends on Ferguson to get back to what he’s already shown before and for Schoonmaker to make that ever-assumed, but never guaranteed, third-year leap.