With a quiet offseason in terms of talent acquisition, the 2024 Dallas Cowboys are asking young talent across the roster to step up and help the team improve. This is definitely the case at tight end, where they need the starter to become a superstar and even the depth behind him to potentially make an impact.
Jake Ferguson is already one of the league’s growing sensations at the TE position, coming off his first Pro Bowl in just his second season. He posted top-10 numbers in catches. yards. and touchdowns for TEs in 2023 and was the second-highest for all Cowboys receivers in receptions and yards, trailing only WR CeeDee Lamb. Beyond the numbers, Ferguson plays with an edge that excites his teammates and endears him to fans.
Arguably the best to man the position in Dallas since Jason Witten, Ferguson’s already done more than enough to reward the team for spending that 2022 fourth-round pick. But there’s still another level for him to reach, joining the likes of Travis Kelce and George Kittle as the elite tight ends in football. He’s one of the best prospects to ascend in the league, especially going into just his third season, and the Cowboys may need every bit of his growth this year.
We’ve recently discussed Dallas’ precarious situation at wide receiver. If Brandin Cooks’ age and Jalen Tolbert’s development don’t go as we hope, the Cowboys will find themselves hurting for firepower in the passing game. Ferguson was already looking like the second option last year but would need to step up even more, truly commanding defensive respect as a threat like Kelce or Kittle. Even if Cooks and Tolbert do well, Ferguson’s growth would only make them more effective.
A potential decline in the run game also puts more pressure on Ferguson. He may have to become QB Dak Prescott’s best friend on third down if we don’t get reliable yardage from Rico Dowdle or Ezekiel Elliott in clutch situations. That’s not to say the RBs aren’t capable, particularly with improved blocking up front, but any struggles there will make Ferguson’s development all the more imperative.
Obviously, this means the threat of losing Ferguson to injury is significant. And that’s where the rest of the TE depth chart comes into focus, not just as backup options but also for the ways they may be called on even in support roles. First on that list is Luke Schoonmaker, last year’s second-round pick who is hopefully going to be able to show something in Year Two.
Unfortunately, right now Schoonmaker’s health is getting in the way. He missed OTAs with a hamstring injury and that’s after having shoulder surgery earlier in the offseason. We’ll see how he’s doing in a few weeks when training camp starts, but this is hardly the time for him to be missing time. The Cowboys need him not only to potentially step in if Ferguson gets hurt but to produce when balls come his way as TE2. Opportunities will abound with Lamb and Ferguson commanding the defenses’ attention.
Thankfully, Dallas has some other tight ends to keep an eye on. Converted receiver John Stephens Jr., who excited us in last year’s preseason, didn’t get to carry that into 2023 due to a knee injury. He’s reportedly on track for training camp. Now there’s undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford, a massive 6’7” target, who’s been getting positive buzz so far. And there’s Peyton Hendershot, who brings some needed experience to the competition.
Again, there will only be so many balls to go around if Lamb’s still Lamb and Ferguson takes the next step. Last year, only 24 targets went to Schoonmaker, Hendershot, and Sean McKeon as the backup tight ends. But with WR Michael Gallup gone, his share in the passing game could see distribution beyond just Jalen Tolbert and other wide receivers. If this TE group improves with internal development or with guys like Stephens and Spann-Ford debuting, perhaps they will attract more targets as a whole.
However it comes, the 2024 Cowboys have to see some growth and development from their returning talent if they want to improve on previous seasons’ outcomes. Jake Ferguson is a prime candidate to leap into superstardom, and there’s hope for the other young tight ends behind him to start contributing more. With other offensive positions at their own crossroads, hopefully the tight ends can be a stabilizing presence for their side of the ball.
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