Barring an injury, Jake Ferguson will exit training camp as the starting tight end for the Dallas Cowboys.
One of the more interesting battles during camp these next few weeks will be for the back-up slot at the position. Luke Schoonmaker will be playing his third season and is the incumbent TE2.
But he’s going to get pushed very hard for that spot on the depth chart, and he might not be able to hold off his challenger.
Brevyn Spann-Ford was an undrafted free agent rookie and signed by the Cowboys following the 2024 Draft.
Spann-Ford in just the first week of camp, is already showing improvement over a limited rookie campaign.
The Case For Spann-Ford
Spann-Ford has been making some nice catches and running solid routes already in camp. Making himself a solid target in the passing game should increase his playing time.
However, it’s the Cowboys’ running game where Spann-Ford’s impact will stand out over Schoonmaker.
Spann-Ford is over a year younger than Schoonmaker. He’s also two inches taller and about 20 pounds heavier.
That makes him a huge target to look for as well as an added force in run blocking.
The Cowboys, per new Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer, will be focusing more on establishing the run as opposed to the five Mike McCarthy years.
Spann-Ford is the better run blocker and can leak out on play-action passes for key receptions to keep drives alive. He had nine catches for 88 yards on just 14 targets last year.
By comparison, in Schoonmaker’s rookie year he had eight catches for 65 yards on 15 targets but did score two touchdowns.
The Case For Schoonmaker
Schoonmaker had 27 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown on 36 targets last year, and had six starts when Ferguson was out with injury.
The good news so far is that Schoonmaker is showing no signs of the issues with his foot that plagued his first year in Dallas.
If he continues to progress in his third season, it might be enough for him to hold off Spann-Ford for the TE2 slot. He’ll also need to improve his run blocking in order to see more snaps as the season plays out.
Who Will Prevail?
The good news for both players is that they should both make the final roster, again assuming no injuries, when the team opens the regular season in Philadelphia.
Ferguson will be the TE1 for certain. If Spann-Ford continues to shine throughout camp as he has so far, he should be elevated over Schoonmaker.
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