Cowboys Depth Chart: Question marks remain at tight end behind Jake Ferguson
In the Cowboys Depth Chart series, we will take a look at each position group to determine which players are safe, on the bubble or have work to do in terms of making the 53-man roster coming out of training camp in late August.
Advertisement
At the tight end position, a turbulent year around him in 2024 didn't allow for any consistency for Jake Ferguson, especially when factoring in his injuries. Behind him, Luke Schoonmaker never found consistent reps and Brevyn Spann-Ford was used in situational blocking opportunities.
Here is a look at the tight end position group heading into training camp.
SAFE (3)
Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Luke Schoonmaker
Heading into a contract year, Jake Ferguson has added motivation to either return to his Pro Bowl level of play that he displayed in 2023 or to elevate from that. He remains the clear first option in the passing game and should see the majority of snaps in both passing and heavy personnel packages.
Advertisement
Behind him, a battle awaits in Oxnard, as second-year undrafted Brevyn Spann-Ford has made an offseason push to be the second option ahead of 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker. If he is able to surpass Schoonmaker on the depth chart, it may put the Michigan product closer to the bubble than he's been going into his third NFL season.
ON THE BUBBLE (2)
John Stephens Jr., Princeton Fant
If Schottenheimer decides to take three tight ends, then the bubble obviously shrinks. But if he sticks with carrying four tight ends like his predecessor Mike McCarthy did, then one of these two names will have a great shot at sneaking onto the 53-man roster.
Before tearing his ACL in each of the last two training camps, John Stephens Jr. had excited the coaching staff enough in training camp and preseason to be on pace to make the roster. But after back-to-back major knee injuries, can he bring the same juice in the receiving game in his third training camp? The advantage he will have is his unique ability to stretch the field from the tight end spot, hence why he earned the nickname 'Stretch' at training camp in 2023.
Advertisement
In 10 career games, Princeton Fant has shown value on special teams in all four phases. On offense, he has only seen the field for 14 career snaps with all coming in blocking situations. For him to crack the 53-man roster, he will need to flash some offensive value, but he'll have a leg up with his experience on special teams.
WORK TO DO (2)
Rivaldo Fairweather, Tyler Neville
As undrafted rookies, Rivaldo Fairweather and Tyler Neville have an uphill battle at corralling the final roster spot in the tight end room. But with an encouraging performance in the preseason and unfulfilled expectations above them on the depth chart, either could inch closer toward that being a reality.
Fairweather brings some intriguing red zone value on offense while Neville has flashed blocking ability, but they will need to show big special teams value to earn the final roster spot in the position room. With not a lot of clarity on certain placements on the depth chart above them, there could be an inside track with a strong start in Oxnard.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reveals decade-long battle with Stage 4 cancer diagnosis
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones credited an experimental trial drug for successfully treating advanced melanoma as he disclosed his cancer diagnosis publicly for the first time. Jones revealed his illness in a documentary series, 'America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,' which will debut on Netflix next week. The 82-year-old Jones then told The Dallas Morning News how he was initially diagnosed in June 2010 and underwent two surgeries on his lung and two on his lymph nodes over the next 10 years after skin cancer cells metastasized to other parts of his body. 'Well, you don't like to think about your mortality, but I was so fortunate to have some great people that sent me in the right direction,' Jones said after practice on Wednesday. 'I got to be part of a trial that was propitious. It really worked. It's called PD-1 (therapy), and it really, really, really worked.' First-year Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer described Jones' fight with cancer as an 'amazing story' and praised him for going public. 'I'm glad that Jerry shared it, just because I think it gives people hope,' Schottenheimer said Wednesday. 'It gives people the strength to say … 'Hey, you can beat this.'' Schottenheimer, 51, used his last news conference of the Cowboys' nearly monthlong stay in Southern California to talk about his own cancer diagnosis. He underwent surgery in 2003 for thyroid cancer at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Then-Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder helped arrange Schottenheimer's treatment two years after firing his father, Marty Schottenheimer, as coach. Brian Schottenheimer was Washington's quarterbacks coach during the 2001 season, the same year Snyder himself was treated for thyroid cancer. 'It doesn't discriminate against anybody,' Schottenheimer said. 'And mine was certainly less serious, but I was 28 when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Nothing like Stage 4, nothing like what Jerry and other people have to go through. But you hear that word 'cancer,' and it scares the hell out of you.'
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Patriots-Vikings joint practice prompts plenty of reunions and valuable tests, with no tussling
Soon after Mike Vrabel was hired as head coach of the New England Patriots earlier this year, his counterpart with the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O'Connell, called with an invitation. Joint practice, our place. Just like we did it before. Two years after Vrabel brought the Tennessee Titans to Minnesota for some valuable training camp work against another team, he took the Patriots this week for two days of drills against the Vikings in advance of their preseason game. "There's a reason why the Patriots are here: It starts with their head football coach and their organization itself," said O'Connell, who's starting his fourth year in Minnesota. "I've got so much respect for Vrabes and our relationship over the years." O'Connell was a rookie backup quarterback with the Patriots in 2008, the last of eight seasons Vrabel played outside linebacker for them. Vrabel, a 14-year NFL veteran, coached the Titans for six seasons and spent 2024 as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns. Asked about his impression of O'Connell as a player, Vrabel was ready with a quip before the teams took the field on Wednesday afternoon. "He wasn't as good as Tom Brady," he said, with a deadpan expression. Vrabel and O'Connell were far from the only connections between the two teams. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores spent 15 years with the Patriots organization in various roles. Stefon Diggs is the highest-profile Patriots player who previously was with the Vikings, but that list also includes backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs and center Garrett Bradbury. Bradbury, like his former head coach O'Connell, mentioned the word "relationships" when assessing his return to a facility where he trained for six seasons after being drafted in the first round in 2019 out of North Carolina State. "On one hand, it feels like I never left. On the other hand, I've got another jersey on and some new teammates," Bradbury said. "A lot of people here mean a lot to me and helped me the last six years, so it's good to see everyone again." Bradbury was released with one season left on his contract, part of Minnesota's push to revamp the interior of the offensive line after it was overwhelmed in the wild card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams that left O'Connell's playoff record at 0-2. He didn't want to leave, but he's found invigoration in his new surroundings. "I think it should be mandatory that everyone play for at least two organizations because you get to re-prove yourself, reinvent yourself," Bradbury said, recounting advice he received from a former player after he was let go. "You get to meet a lot of people, make awesome friends and see different ways of doing things." NFL coaches have grown to much prefer the controlled setting of joint practices over exhibition games during which to test their players against different opponents. When the Patriots hosted the Washington Commanders last week, a couple of fights occurred — and Vrabel even jumped into one scrum to try to break it up before emerging with a bloodied nose. The Patriots and Vikings had no such trouble, perhaps a sign of the respect between the two organizations. Because he felt the energy level was lacking, Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins said later, the eighth-year journeyman decided to punt the ball into the bleachers after a long touchdown pass from Drake Maye. Maye had plenty of pressure in full-team drills that likely would've resulted in sacks during games, but with no tackling allowed he was able to let several deep passes rip down the field that hit their intended targets. Former Vikings wide receiver Diggs caught one of them at the sideline with Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. in coverage. Another one of the highlights went to rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson on a well-designed wheel route that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels might well like to dial up again this season. "It's hard to catch him when he's in the open field," Maye said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Javon Baker on special teams 'I'm going to do what they want me to do'
Javon Baker talks relationship with Mike Vrabel and getting time with special teams vs. the Commanders. Javon Baker on special teams 'I'm going to do what they want me to do' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
