2024 was a down year for a handful of Cowboys.
With the NFL officially in playoff season, the Dallas Cowboys will not be apart of it. A disappointing 7-10 record had them finishing third in the NFC East. While many things factored in to the disappointing season, there were several players who underperformed. Here are two players who underperformed this season for the Cowboys.
TE Jake Ferguson
In 2023, tight end Jake Ferguson impressed fans in his first season as the team’s starter. He amassed 761 receiving yards and five touchdowns, making himself a reliable target for QB Dak Prescott. However, this season was a different story for the tight end.
When the team lost Prescott due to injury this season, the whole offense took a hit. Backup Cooper Rush has earned his flowers as a reliable backup in the league, but going from Prescott to Rush is a recipe for a less explosive offense. Ferguson finished the season with a miniscule 494 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. He only averaged 8.4 yards per reception, and his longest catch of the year only went for 27 yards.
While his stats likely would have been better if Prescott had played all year, Cowboys fans were hopeful Ferguson was on the cusp of becoming a top 10 tight end in the league. He often felt like an afterthought in the offense this season and didn’t contribute to explosive plays.
Ferguson is on a contract year next season, and will need to have a bounce-back performance if he hopes to secure a big contract in free agency. He will also need to be more impactful if the team hopes to get some help outside of WR CeeDee Lamb in the offense.
LT Tyler Guyton
When the front office selected offensive tackle Tyler Guyton in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, it was no secret he would need time to develop. Playing right tackle throughout his time in college, he would have to learn how to play on the left side of the line after the Cowboys lost veteran Tyron Smith in free agency last offseason. Even if he didn’t have to change sides on the offensive line, Guyton never had elite fundamentals and technique as a blocker in college. Similarly to Tyler Smith, the Cowboys selected Guyton because of his strength, athleticism, and size.
Guyton had a difficult rookie season to say the least. He finished with a 49.4 PFF grade, with ranks 116th in the NFL. He had a 60.2 pass blocking grade and a 51.3 run blocking grade. He was a flag machine for the Cowboys this season, committing 14 infractions.
It’s far too early to consider him a bust, as he was thrown in a difficult situation in his rookie year. But there are serious concerns if Guyton is the team’s future at the left tackle position.
The Cowboys have a lot that they will need to address if they want to get back to competing for the NFC East next season, but getting more consistent play from these two in 2025 would do wonders for the offense becoming more consistent.
