Blogging The Boys
Should the Cowboys get ahead on extending Jake Ferguson?
Life without Jason Witten is not a fun thing, but it’s the world the Dallas Cowboys have lived in for the last five years. Luckily for them, they have been able to find quality replacements at the tight end position in recent years.
It looked like the team found something with former fourth-round pick Dalton Schultz. After stepping out of the shadows of Witten, he broke out onto the scene with 63 catches for 615 yards in 2020. Schultz followed that up with a 78-catch, 808-yard season that included eight touchdowns. It was the first time a Cowboys tight end had over 800 yards in a season since a younger Witten did it in 2013.
Despite Schultz’s success, the Cowboys moved on from him, letting him sign with the in-state rival Houston Texans in 2023. However, the team didn’t miss him because they liked what they had in another former fourth-round tight end, Jake Ferguson. After spending his rookie season playing second fiddle to Schultz, Ferguson took on the lead tight end role with vigor in 2023, racking up 71 catches for 761 yards with five touchdowns. It was clear that the Cowboys made the right decision and that Ferguson was the future.
Unfortunately, year three was a down season for Ferguson. With a Cowboys offense that was broken and injuries (MCL sprain and concussion) caused him to miss games, he finished with a middling 59 catches for 494 yards. In the blink of an eye, this young, promising tight end of the future is entering the final year of his rookie contract. What’s next for Ferguson?
While a new season will answer a lot of questions, the Cowboys might want to get out their crystal ball and figure things out right now. If he’s their guy, then signing sooner versus later makes a lot of sense. If not, then let nature run its course. People have their own thoughts on what the Cowboys should do, but here are four reasons the Cowboys should sign Ferguson to an extension before the season starts.
The first thing the Cowboys must decide is whether Ferguson has a coveted skill set or if his attributes are a “dime a dozen.” If he’s easily replaceable, it wouldn’t make sense to shell out huge money for something they can find much cheaper.
While Ferguson doesn’t stand out like the elite tight ends in the NFL, he does a lot of things well. He’s a super reliable target for Dak Prescott. He’s always where he’s supposed to be and very often becomes the money down target. If you want the chains moved on third or fourth down, he’s your guy.
He’s also a player who is always grinding for extra yards. His legs never stop, he’ll lower his shoulder, and he’ll turn small gains into bigger gains. Despite not being XL in size, Ferguson is hard to bring down. He’ll make guys miss...
