In the spring of 2023, the Dallas Cowboys drafted an “old” tight end. At 25 years of age, Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker should have been looking ahead to his third NFL season.
Not his rookie campaign.
Schoonmaker was battling a foot injury even before getting drafted in the second round. The injury appeared to have been aggravated in that year’s camps.
His numbers for 2023 were dismal, despite scoring two touchdowns that season.
He fared a little better in 2024, but nothing approaching what would be expected of a second-round pick.
Time Is Running Out
There are actually two swords currently dangling over Schoonmaker’s head.
He’s getting pushed by 2024 undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford as well as 2023 UDFAs Princeton Fant and John Stephens.
Stephens has had his last two seasons derailed in the preseason by injury. When healthy, he showed signs of being a solid player.
Fant has been impressing this year, perhaps understanding that he needs to make it this year, or he may not be in the NFL much longer.
As for Spann-Ford, with the reported emphasis on running the ball, Spann-Ford is the kind of blocking tight end Dallas will require.
He’s also shown an ability to catch some passes too, especially when Jake Ferguson went down with an injury last year.
Outplaying these three challengers is the first sword that Schoonmaker must deal with. He can control that.
He has no control over the other sword, however.
Salary Cap Cut?
Unless he can prove himself invaluable to the Cowboys’ offense, Schoonmaker’s contract could make him very expendable.
Especially if Spann-Ford and Fant can show they are better options to back up Ferguson going forward.
If Dallas were to cut Schoonmaker after June 1st he would have a Dead Cap value for 2025 of a little over $389,000. He would carry that same amount over to 2026 as well.
But by cutting him after June 1st, it would save the Cowboys a little over $1.3 million.
That fact should both keep him up at night and motivate him more out in Oxnard this summer.
We’ll see how it all plays out. But by no means should Schoonmaker feel he’s a lock on this roster.
Against The NFC East
Even without Schoonmaker, the Cowboys would still have the best tight end room in the NFC East.
The Eagles have Dallas Goedert, and not much else. The Commanders have Zach Ertz and not much else.
The Giants just don’t have much at all.
With a healthy Ferguson, a solid performance from Spann-Ford, and perhaps an out-of-nowhere effort from Fant the Cowboys have the division’s top unit, if not the entire NFC.
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