An explosive TE might be the key to unlocking this offense!

[ChuckA1]

How about the Baylor udfa? Is he a possible sleeper?

 

[Cowboyny]

We had Tyler Warren and opted for Booker. Big mistake. Warren is the perfect athletic TE we needed. Ferguson is a JAG. He had the lowest YPC of any tight end. I would not care if he were released. He is. He. Is a nonfactor. Luepke would be a better TE. I am still upset Jethro passed on Warren. Reminiscent of passing on Moss.

I didn’t love the positional value with Booker but he had a real good rookie season. Much rather him then Bass within our interior. Not a fan of a 1st rd TE as many good ones have been drafted much lower

 

[Cowboyny]

Cowboys only have a 1st, 2nd and 3rd pick until late. They better not burn one of those three picks on a TE.

Quality te’s can be found throughout the draft, doesn’t have to be used with a premium pick. We basically need that hybrid type, big wide receiver

 

[Cowboyny]

I don't disagree at all with the idea that Dallas should invest in a more explosive TE in on way or another.

The Rams offense, however, works because they have two great WRs. They don't need talent at the TE position to be productive, and they don't ask them to do much. Puka and Davante take all of the coverage.

They have strength in numbers at the te position

 

[Cowboyny]

I don't think they will. Defenses have to pick their poison, and they are going to pick allowing Ferguson to get open on short passes over allowing Lamb and Pickens to get open every time. You give up a 6-yard pass to Ferguson and maybe the next down you get a sack or a stop. You give up a 30-yard pass to Pickens and suddenly the offense is in field goal range. We will see a league-high in shell coverage again because teams have to respect those wideouts. Now, there will be some times down the field depending on the call and coverage that Dak and Ferguson need to connect, but he will likely mainly be option C on most pass plays (maybe even D) when Lamb, Pickens and Flournoy/Turpin are covered up.

Lions did take out Ferguson and the cowboys offense really struggled. Teams have to decide what to take away

 

[Cowboyny]

I just feel like if the offense can’t be unlocked with all this money and first rounders we never will:

They could us an athletic te, but they are good without one. However, it would make defending them even harder

 

[Cowboyny]

Ive been saying this for the longest. For some reason, the Cowboys are infatuated with TEs with basic athleticism and explosion. I think the last TE we had with some form of good athleticism on our roster was Rico Gathers.

The days of the possession style, Witten types aren't going to help us.

The older witten types still serve a purpose, but need another pass catcher from the position

 

[Cowboyny]

I do think this is a bit like crediting the offensive line for Emmitt's success. Sure, the two outside receivers are going to draw the attention of defenses, but Ferguson still tied for the third-most catches among tight ends last year.

I think the main difference we saw was in how they used him. Because of having those two big-time receivers and often needing Ferguson to provide help for shaky offensive tackles, we turned him into a check-down tight end last year. He became a player who could provide an initial chuck or shove to slow the pass rush and then float out to be an outlet for Dak. This was a critical role in having one of the top offenses in the league, but it left Ferguson mainly making catches where he was facing the quarterback, which are not as conducive to run after catch unless you can fool the defender with your initial spin direction after catching the ball.

Sure, we should want him to make more out of those catches than he did, but our starting tight end is again going to be the guy who provides help to the tackles and gets open as a check-down for the quarterback trying to get the ball in the hands of those two star receivers. Being more explosive wouldn't hurt but is not a prerequisite for what we're asking Ferguson to do.

I am not in favor of getting rid of or replacing Ferguson, just feel they need another receiving threat at the position

 

[Ironicalicon]

The most accessible way for this team right now is an explosive RB2. If Blue can be that weapon, and the offense can be better in the redzone THEN you have an ELITE offense.

 

[gimmesix]

I am not in favor of getting rid of or replacing Ferguson, just feel they need another receiving threat at the position

And I think they should work on that ... but not at the expense of an early-round pick unless we don't have starter position we need to fix. I do think Spann-Ford is developing nicely and has the ability to be a big blocking tight end with enough speed, smoothness and hands to be a decent receiving threat. When Ferguson seized the starting job when we drafted Schoonmaker, Schoonmaker was at least supposed to be the No. 2 but Spann-Ford has passed him because he's such a good blocker that seems to provide as much as a receiver.

I am looking forward to seeing if Trigg can provide a different skill set to the group. If so, I'd like to see them trade Schoonmaker for whatever they can get. And that doesn't mean I'm disappointed in Schoonmaker. They drafted him because they jumped the gun IMO due to the fact that they weren't certain about Ferguson. I had seen enough in Ferguson to roll the dice with him and wait until later to get a tight end. Frankly, I believe that the tight ends early in the draft, particularly the one Detroit took, got us locked into looking at the position. We took Schoonmaker about where he was expected to go, but we shouldn't have been in such a hurry. I do expect him to go on and have a better career elsewhere, sort of like Marty B did, when he gets out from behind Ferguson.

 

[gimmesix]

Lions did take out Ferguson and the cowboys offense really struggled. Teams have to decide what to take away

You've just got to have that guy to keep the offense moving forward, even if it's just a 4-yard catch. Ferguson is in a good position here to be that guy thanks to the outside receivers we have, and I think there's definitely value in that. I read in another thread that he caught 80 percent of the passes thrown his way. Yes, they were mostly short passes, but that's a high percentage. Ferguson is the jab while we try to set up the haymaker.

 

[gimmesix]

The most accessible way for this team right now is an explosive RB2. If Blue can be that weapon, and the offense can be better in the redzone THEN you have an ELITE offense.

I think that's especially true if he can be a receiving threat out of the backfield. Hard to drop linebackers in the throwing lanes when a back is catching swing passes and eating up yardage. Detroit does that very effectively with Gibbs. Explosive backs put a lot of stress on defenses.

 

[big dog cowboy]

We had Tyler Warren and opted for Booker. Big mistake. Warren is the perfect athletic TE we needed. Ferguson is a JAG.

Cowboys offense was on fire last year by going guard over TE.

Exactly how much better would have it had been drafting Warren?

Warren went 76 - 817 - 4
Ferg went 82 - 600 - 8

Solidifying the interior for the next several years was the best move. Adding another TE to what Ferg produced wouldn't have produced more points. Unless you think those extra 12.76 yards per game Warren produced would have made any kind of measurable difference.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Quality te’s can be found throughout the draft, doesn’t have to be used with a premium pick. We basically need that hybrid type, big wide receiver

Already on the roster. Save the draft pick.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I think we should have signed Dalton Schultz to an extension years ago, and this is why. Schultz was a great fit as the dumpoff slot receiver type. Ferguson does the same thing for the same salary, but with way more dead legs.

Ferguson was just another dumb extension by Jerry... spending contract money freely to put a finger in Micah's eye. Ol' Jer gained nothing and screwed over his own cap for 3 years, just because Micah hurt his ego.

 

[Cowboys5217]

In the second round the Dallas Cowboys select.....Martellus Escobar Lafleur-Spoonmaker. 34 year old tight end from Arkansas

Don't forget the devastating injury history and off the field issues.

 

[Praxit]

Last season Ferguson had a strong season number size, but when you look under the hood, his success was more due to teams worried about our top two receivers. I read recently the Cowboy Offense faced the most shell coverage in the entire league last season. Their goal was to take away the explosive passing plays that the Cowboys offense generates. This allowed Ferguson to feast on all the underneath check down passes. As we know he run after catch has disappeared and looks like the old Witten at the position.

One of the biggest issue I saw with Ferguson was his inability to make those up the seam pass connections. Dak tried over and over again trying to connect with Ferguson but they rarely were successful. This was a huge part of Dak's success with former Cowboy Dalton Shultz.

I don't think Ferguson's job is in trouble as he still serves a purpose in this offense, but the team needs that explosive TE to unlock their offense to new levels. Schoon has proven not to be that guy and is most likley playing somewhere else next season. Spann-Ford is also in his contract season, but his calling card is more as an in line blocker. Could Trigg become that X factor at the position? It is a long shot being an undrafted fa, but he has an opportunity. This might be a sneaky draft need in the team's future.

..damn shame too, Shultz reminded me of Witten. Uncanny ability to find open area and make difficult catches.

Fergs is ok. I say, let the competition begin. I would have my eyes on that undrafted TE. Reminds me of Antonio Gates.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Remember when stilltheguru would incessantly bring up Schoonmaker's RAS score as his "sssussssooooper power!"

 

[Kwyn]

How about the Baylor udfa? Is he a possible sleeper?

He’s the number one pet cat on the board right now, so the hype is off the charts.

Started when a dozen or so of us had him in the pre-draft prediction poll and had him in our top 20 most likely drafted contest

Pretty sure his floor is Antonio Gates and the ceiling is Gronk

 

[StarBoyz83]

He’s the number one pet cat on the board right now, so the hype is off the charts.

Started when a dozen or so of us had him in the pre-draft prediction poll and had him in our top 20 most likely drafted contest

Pretty sure his floor is Antonio Gates and the ceiling is Gronk

He'll make the practice squad most likely