Cowboys could have a competition for starting TE in 2025

The Cowboys are still adding talent and options for their 2025 roster, but one position that may already be set is tight end. Beyond just having enough bodies, Dallas could even have a competition brewing at the top of the depth chart between incumbent starter Jake Ferguson and third-year prospect Luke Schoonmaker.

It’s easy to assume that Ferguson will just waltz right back into his spot as TE1. But there are reasons that the Cowboys may not dismiss Schoonmaker outright. While draft pedigree only goes so far, Ferguson was a fourth-round pick in 2022 and Schoonmaker was a second-rounder the following season. So just in terms of sheer investment, Dallas obviously put more into acquiring Schoonmaker and may expect a greater return on the field.

Granted, coaches won’t hold down superior talent to help make the scouting department look good. Just look at how quickly CB DaRon Bland, a fifth-round pick in 2022, leapfrogged second- and third-round picks Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright from the previous year’s draft. So regardless of which round or even which day a guy was selected, if he’s clearly the superior talent then he’ll generally get rewarded.

A year ago, there was no debate about who was the superior option between our two tight ends. Ferguson was coming off a breakout season as a top-ten producer at the position while Schoonmaker, with just eight catches as a rookie, was already being labeled as another second-round mistake. Many were upset even when he was drafted, seeing it as a waste given was Ferguson had already flashed in his own rookie season. After 2023, those critics were all the more emboldened.

But things feel different ahead of 2025. Missing three games and playing hurt most of the year, plus missing his starting quarterback for half of it, Ferguson’s numbers took a dive. Dropping from 71 to 59 catches wasn’t that bad considering the circumstances, but he went from 10.7 yards per reception to just 8.4 and was held out of the endzone completely.

If Ferguson and the Cowboys offense get back in form this year, he could easily bounce back. But if Schoonmaker is also about to make a third-year leap in his development and on-field potential, things could get interesting. One of the reasons he was a second-round pick was a superior athletic profile than Ferguson. Assuming their combine numbers still hold true, Schoonmaker is quicker, faster, and slightly bigger. So if he’s putting things together in terms of technique, that could push him closer to the starting job.

Also, from a roster management standpoint, Ferguson’s on the last year of his contract and Schoonmaker’s goes one year longer. That extra season at low cost would benefit Dallas and could motivate them to give Schoonmaker opportunities to compete. At the very least, it could prompt more of a timeshare between the players as Dallas would still like Ferguson to have a market in 2026 free agency, which helps their compensatory pick formula.

The change in coaching staff could also breed more competition. New coaches mean new sets of eyes and strategies for how to utilize talent, plus less attachment to what players have previously achieved. And if Dallas is going to increase focus on the run under Brian Schottenheimer, how Ferguson and Schoonmaker handle run blocking could mean more than it did when Mike McCarthy was in charge.

There are other factors at work here, of course. Players’ approach to the game and chemistry with teammates also drive success, which is an area that Ferguson appeared to excel in during his breakout season. There were plenty of guys through the years who had more athletic gifts than Jason Witten but they could never beat him as a worker, leader, and in how well he clicked with QB Tony Romo. Ferguson could still easily best Schoonmaker in these critical areas, which will also show up on the field.

But unlike all that time when Witten had the TE position in a stranglehold, Jake Ferguson hasn’t earned enough clout to go unchallenged. If Luke Schoonmaker is ready to step up in Year 3 and show the world that he was worthy of his draft pick, we may have a true camp battle on our hands. Hopefully, no matter the result, it produces two capable weapons for the Cowboys’ offense this year.