Mailbag: Could Schoonmaker challenge for TE1?

[TwistedL0g1k]

Funny all the talk of Schoon being the #1 TE. Here's an article saying he is only the 3rd best TE, and Dallas should trade him! LOL

Link to Article

 

[conner01]

From all the reports I've heard he'll need to work to get TE2 from span-ford

I like Span-Ford and I think all 3 will get a chance. But Ferg isn’t gonna be extended so all things being equal I’d lean more reps on guys who will be back.

 

[conner01]

Think of this 12 formation lineup: Lamb, Pickens, Ferguson, Schoonmaker, and Jaydon Blue.

You totally can't cover everybody. I think they run more 12 this year than last

I hope we use a lit if different formations. I like 3 wide with blue in backfield then check him out to a reciever. Imagine Pickens, Turpin, lamb with blue coming out too. Turpin or blue could end up with a safety or LB covering them. Blue runs WR like routes but he and Turpin are wild in space. But I like a lot of different formations to run and pass out of. Keep defense constantly under stress

 

[Pass2Run]

I hope we use a lit if different formations. I like 3 wide with blue in backfield then check him out to a reciever. Imagine Pickens, Turpin, lamb with blue coming out too. Turpin or blue could end up with a safety or LB covering them. Blue runs WR like routes but he and Turpin are wild in space. But I like a lot of different formations to run and pass out of. Keep defense constantly under stress

For sure. But I think 12 formation will suit Blue better as a rook because you can help his blocking deficiencies with TE

 

[StarBoyz83]

Hopefully schoon and williams get out of the wasted 2nd round pick bin. That bin is very full from the last 25 years. Dont see it happening though.

 

[kskboys]

Funny all the talk of Schoon being the #1 TE. Here's an article saying he is only the 3rd best TE, and Dallas should trade him! LOL

Link to Article

I didn't think he played all that great, but people have this weird little need to gush, so no need to fight them on it!!!

He caught all of 27 passes last season. Just not seeing anything to get excited about.

 

[ShiningStar]

Yeah but its a lot easier to win if you have a credible 12 personnel threat.

gotta play with what you have and who you hire.

even with loaded teams, or good teams, Garret couldnt get it done, and we cant have steak at every position.

Dont get me wrong, we KNOW who didnt want the Cowboys to win, but nothing we can do about him or his son.

 

[RonWashington]

If you listen to Marcus Mosher which I try not to Schoon lucky to make the bench let alone challenge Ferguson. They told a story that Spann Ford drags Ferguson to the gym to work out they say he’s driven , got all the accolades from the coaches this off season .

 

[JW82]

I like Span-Ford and I think all 3 will get a chance. But Ferg isn’t gonna be extended so all things being equal I’d lean more reps on guys who will be back.

If ferg plays like he's capable of he'll be extended

 

[big dog cowboy]

Getting banged up at the NFL level isn't abnormal though.
He should have a pretty firm grasp on the TE2 position and needs to show us a lot more to be thought of as more than that.

His foot injury wasn't a case of "getting banged up at the NFL level" at all.

Exactly how do you want him to show you a lot more? He will only get so many targets so receptions can't be it. Contribute more on special teams, which he has already done. Produce if Ferg is out, which he has already done.

 

[Whyjerry]

Can he?

Schoonmaker is still young but I haven’t seen anything to suggest he is a top TE. This should be the year he steps up.

 

[vlad]

True. Whole offense looked off minus Rico and CD.

Good thing we got rid of Rico for nothing.

 

[blueblood70]

With Jake Ferguson coming off somewhat of a down season, can you see Luke Schoonmaker challenging him for the starting tight end position? – Reuben Johnson/Nashville, TN
Patrik: I do believe there's potential for Schoonmaker to be a solid starter in the league for a team that utilizes his skill set in such a way as to maximize that fit, but it's also true that Jake Ferguson owns attributes better suited to what Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys are hoping to get from a TE1 — e.g., YAC ability. Schoonmaker made major strides in 2024, when Ferguson dealt with a knee injury and a concussion,


https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-could-schoonmaker-challenge-for-te1

And I think he could,

I don't think he's as bad as people try to make him out to be because there's mad he took a sucking round pick away, he may be a career back up, but this man is being underrated because he's not getting the snaps....

you remember Rico when he was just an afterthought and then all of a sudden he had a breakout year last year got 1000 yards, you know why because he was given a lot of snaps, that's why...​

if the coaches want Schoonmaker to be better all they have do is give him a lot more snaps, let him run routes,

because what I seen is a man may not be fast and elusive but he has great hands he's big he catches in traffic I don't see why he couldn't be more productive in this offense given a shot the problem with this team in the past these coaching staff fall in love with certain players and they force those players into action and they hardly ever give the other players anytime to prove themselves..

In my opinion lots of guys like Turpin, Schoonmaker, Hunter, &Vaughn ,all these guys were left on the sideline because Mike McCarthy just didn't see their worth he didn't want to get creative he didn't want to waste time creating a new offense we need to use this old outdated vanilla offense that most defense can stop but he's so scared that he lost sight that he had actually others on this team that can actually do more and just didn't given the opportunity I don't know if this new staff's going to do that but I believe he can be better..

Why can't he challenge for the number one I don't see a clear cut number one tied in on this team yes we all understand Ferguson was the top dog here as far as fan favorite thought that he was going to do something and he's just not it at best he might be what Dalton Schultz was but I don't see a dynamic play making Titan on this team so why don't you create similar what you doing with the running backs and give Schoonmaker more opportunities..

 

[blueblood70]

I wish we'd run more 12 personnel. I think you can argue our second TE is better than our third WR.

No he's not he's not better than Tolbert you realize now what Pickens on this team tolbert is the WR3 and he's more productive than the second TE..

 

[thunderpimp91]

His foot injury wasn't a case of "getting banged up at the NFL level" at all.

Exactly how do you want him to show you a lot more? He will only get so many targets so receptions can't be it. Contribute more on special teams, which he has already done. Produce if Ferg is out, which he has already done.

I'm not saying that he's been getting banged up, I'm just saying that injuries and playing through injuries are going to happen at this level. We can give him a little bit of a pass since the foot injury was his rookie season and he missed some valuable offseason time to get ramped up, but we cant let the pendulum swing too far and completely write off a lost year too.


As far as what I want to see from Schoon I think I laid it out there pretty well in my post...

217 passing snaps, ran 179 routes for 27 catches and 241 yards and a TD...Its fine given his snap count, but its also pretty much in line with what your typical TE2 does during a season. His 2024 numbers are right on par with:

AJ Barner - 260 pass snaps, 216 routes for 30 catches 245 yards and 4TD.....4th round rookie
Josh Whyle - 207 pass snaps, 175 routes for 28 catches 248 yards and 1TD.....5th round 2nd year

In general I'm happy with what Schoon has done, but his numbers are very similar to what you see out a a typical TE2. Nothing about his numbers scream that he needs to be given a starting job. Even when Ferg was out there were 3 games where Schoon received starter level snaps and he averaged 4 catches for 48 yards per game. Its fine, and to be honest if he could do that consistently over a 17 game season you have an 800 yard TE. Not horrible, but after he got his mini showcase he reverted to poor showings. Ill give him a ton of credit especially for the Houston performance, but after the Washington game he had 79 routes for 74 total yards. That isnt making the most of the opportunities you're given, and not someone im screaming to get TE1 reps.

 

[thunderpimp91]

No he's not he's not better than Tolbert you realize now what Pickens on this team tolbert is the WR3 and he's more productive than the second TE..

Tolbert has a limited skill set. He needs to show he can run more than just the vertical and comeback routes. Right now I'd have to believe that WR3 is a committee approach with a 2nd TE being a fairly heavy part of that equation.

 

[blueblood70]

Some of the nuggets coming out of these mini camps, he may not even be pushing for the #2!

and if you know anything about Otas and mini cancer nothing but a glorified walkthrough you're going to see the real stuff come out in training camp and preseason games and the better players will start beaming mentioned for real not the pet cats that we're doing it at 3/4 speed and shorts... So be careful what you read and hear because I see that all over the nfl everyone's great right now we got Hall of Fame guys all over in shorts especially the rookies and especially the quarterbacks oh my God they can throw against air you should see all the guys running against air I mean they look like they're prime for their best season ever!

This is standard practice in this type of situation I wouldn't give anybody the upper hand right now except for the core players we know are going to be the starters next year I don't think anybody's getting a free pass with this new coaching staff they're going to have to earn it and this is one of the positions that are wide open along with running back and defensive tackle..

Those are three positions I think could be some surprises on who gets more snaps this year but camps don't do it for me practice isn't going to do it preseason will start but guys will earn more once the lights come on in real games and you get to see these players in a new offense and see who takes..

don't think anybody has a clear advantage I don't care who looks good in shorts man I'm telling you these are some of the oddest things I ever see and hear is look at all these clips from these guys in shorts running routes and throwing 50 yard bombs to wide open guys come on people don't be gullible.

 

[Gambit]

Good thing we got rid of Rico for nothing.

Got rid of? I mean sure if letting a FA sign a deal with another team after his contract expires qualifies as getting rid of someone.

I'm not convinced it does.

 

[conner01]

If ferg plays like he's capable of he'll be extended

History says he won’t. We’ve tagged TE but we’ve let them walk too. You can’t extend everyone so you extend elite players or really good players at a position that’s hard to draft. TE is not a hard position to fill and with 2 good WR’s the position becomes less of a serious need. If you keep Pickens you really don’t need a TE on a 2nd contract. I like Ferg, he is an emotional leader of the team and he plays hard. But can’t keep them all

 

[exciter]

and if you know anything about Otas and mini cancer nothing but a glorified walkthrough you're going to see the real stuff come out in training camp and preseason games and the better players will start beaming mentioned for real not the pet cats that we're doing it at 3/4 speed and shorts... So be careful what you read and hear because I see that all over the nfl everyone's great right now we got Hall of Fame guys all over in shorts especially the rookies and especially the quarterbacks oh my God they can throw against air you should see all the guys running against air I mean they look like they're prime for their best season ever!

This is standard practice in this type of situation I wouldn't give anybody the upper hand right now except for the core players we know are going to be the starters next year I don't think anybody's getting a free pass with this new coaching staff they're going to have to earn it and this is one of the positions that are wide open along with running back and defensive tackle..

Those are three positions I think could be some surprises on who gets more snaps this year but camps don't do it for me practice isn't going to do it preseason will start but guys will earn more once the lights come on in real games and you get to see these players in a new offense and see who takes..

don't think anybody has a clear advantage I don't care who looks good in shorts man I'm telling you these are some of the oddest things I ever see and hear is look at all these clips from these guys in shorts running routes and throwing 50 yard bombs to wide open guys come on people don't be gullible.

Based on hints this offseason and S heimers past history a reasonable person can assume this team is going to run a fair amount of 12 personnel. Maybe even their base offense up to 30% of the snaps. One of those TEs primary responsibility is going to be blocking. Considering they’re giving Ford snaps with the ones and that he doesn’t offer alot as a receiver a reasonable person could assume they would like him to take that position so they can cross train Schoon as the backup at both positions.

Regardless, I don’t think any reasonable person, barring injury could believe there’s any chance of Ferguson losing his spot!