Mike McCarthy is entering his fourth season as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, but his first since taking charge of offensive play. Since coming to Dallas, McCarthy has led the Cowboys to consecutive 12-win seasons, but they have fallen short of a touchdown. NFC Championship game both years.
After getting a little more aggressive this season in an effort to get over the hump, the Cowboys are hoping for a big 2023 season. In anticipation of that, let’s take an in-depth look at each position on the list. This time around, it’s arguably the most unstable position on the list, the tight group.
Filling in the blank for Dalton Schultz
Dalton Schultz was the best Cowboys end the past three years, and it wasn’t quite close. He played on 80% or more of the team’s offensive snaps in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, while injuries limited him. Just 70% in 2022. No other Cowboys have played even 40% of their snaps in a season over that span, and that’s without going into his production: Schultz ranks fourth among tight ends in catches and touchdowns over the past four years.
Now he is gone, having signed with Texas in free agency. Given the terms of his contract—one year worth up to $9 million—it’s clear the Cowboys were content to let him go this season after the tight end slipped somewhat while playing 2022 on the franchise’s tag line.
However, there is still plenty of casting and production left to replace without any obvious candidates to adequately fill that void. Sean McCune is the longest running tight end on the team, as it enters its fourth season. Jake Ferguson is the most experienced with 430 as the rookie leads with 312 during his three years with the team, Peyton Hendershot right behind him with 298 in his rookie year. Even with Ferguson leading the team in action, he saw just 22 goals all last year, one fewer than recently released Ezekiel Elliott.
There’s also second-round rookie Luke Schoonmaker – more on him in a bit – but none of those four names are a sure bet to step up and take over Schultz. Obviously someone is going to have to, but the uncertainty of who it will be is the biggest talking point for this group.
Who will emerge as the top dog?
This is the million dollar question. The two best bets are Ferguson and Schoonmaker, based on the level of investment from the team in each.
Ferguson was a fourth-round pick a year ago and was the runner-up at tight end in his rookie year. Of course, that rating didn’t mean much as Schultz took up a lot of his workload, but Ferguson actually started in eight games last year and was the next guy when Schultz lost time with injuries.
However, much of the Cowboys’ offseason has been riddled with rumors about a team looking to take a tight end with their first-round pick, and then use their second-round pick on Schoonmaker. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the front office doesn’t believe in Ferguson entering Schultz’s place, but it also indicates that they don’t wipe out the former Badger either.
Hendershot and McCune are also in the mix, but either one of them becoming top dog at tight end would be considered a surprise. Both were undrafted free agents who made the list largely because of their tenacity and hard work, but they likely aren’t top-notch players.
Jake Ferguson needs to make a big jump
Ferguson did nothing in his rookie year to convince anyone that he could definitely be the man in 2023, but he did offer some flashes of what he could be. Coming out of Wisconsin, Ferguson’s draft profile was a mediocre athlete whose combination of reliable ball skills and competitiveness gave him a positive role in developing a TE2 into an NFL team.
This is exactly what Ferguson has shown as a rookie, with some additional highlights as a runner after the catch; Ferguson’s 6.4 yards after catch per reception was just behind George Kittle’s 6.5 mark and ahead of Travis Kelsey. There are obvious sample size issues in comparing Ferguson to these two, but Ferguson has proven reliable as a blocker while offering added value as a secondary pass catcher.
If Ferguson is going to claim the TE1 vacancy in Dallas, he’ll need to make a big jump. He was never a standout athlete at Wisconsin, but any improvements in his speed or agility could help Ferguson become a more viable threat in the passing game, as well as thoroughly develop his fundamentals. Such a jump wouldn’t be unprecedented, but it would be a bit of a surprise given what Ferguson has done in 2022.
Luke Schoonmaker has doubts about being proven wrong
Schoonmaker has been a part of what many consider the best tight end class in over a decade, and understandably lost in the excitement on draft night. Other names like Dalton Kincaid, Michael Mayer, Sam LaPorta, and Darnell Washington got more buzz, but Schoonmaker belonged in that crowd. However, his selection to the 58th pick immediately made many Cowboys fans wonder if he was worth it.
Whether or not Schoonmaker can deliver in his rookie year is a question everyone in this year’s tight end class will need to answer after all the hype. Schoonmaker enters the NFL with a very similar profile to Ferguson – reliable pass catcher, solid blocking skills, hard worker – but with Elite sport. In the long run, this may be what helps Schoonmaker secure the senior job, but the NFL adjustment is tough for all rookies, and the tight end position is especially hard to predict.
Developed by Peyton Hendershot
Hendershot has earned himself quite a few fans in his rookie year, largely due to his endearing friendship with Ferguson. Nicknamed Frick and Frack by Mike McCarthy, in addition to taking home several other nicknames, the duo rounded out the situation well behind Schultz. Hendershot had some notable plays here and there, but he also had moments that reminded everyone why he wasn’t drafted.
Hendershot has shown enough to prove he has a legitimate talent, but it’s still pretty raw. Hendershot’s next step is consistency, whether that’s avoiding penalties (four penalties drawn in six matches) or improving the consistency of his catches or saves. Hendershot doesn’t have as high a ceiling as Ferguson or Schoonmaker, but continued development can ensure he remains an integral part of this offense in one way or another.
How will this group be used?
This may be the most important question for this group. The Cowboys saw a gradual increase in their use of 12-players, and multiple tight end sets overall, over the four years Kellen Moore calls the offense. However, Moore still primarily appeared as one tight end on the passing game rather than posting it.
Does that continue with all the changes, both for players and gameplay-related? Brian Schottenheimer took the commission’s approach to the situation in his most recent stint as offensive coordinator (in Seattle) with his final season featuring three different tight ends recording at least 24 snaps each. McCarthy has traditionally featured one tight end in the passing game, though he may draw on Schottenheimer’s experiences given the general inexperience of this group.
The manner in which the tight end set is used on this new offense will play a large role in determining who replaces Schultz going forward. This deck is arguably the most unstable mode deck on the list at the moment, and there is just as much uncertainty around deck usage as there is about single players. As of now, it’s no one’s guess how this thing is powered.