Mailbag: Could Schoonmaker challenge for TE1?

[Gambit]

If you take average of Ferguson stats for 17 games, it was similar to last season, minus TD's.

I'm unclear the point you're making with this, sincerely. Could you explain your position so I can better understand it?

 

[conner01]

We need to see who emerges in the new offensive schemes.
Can Spann-Ford surprise?

We really do not have a top notch TE.

I think spann-ford gets his chance. But Ferg when healthy isn’t too shabby. I expect a solid year from him because every player has goid years when it’s getting close to new contract time lol

 

[conner01]

Ferguson is in his contract year and I just don't see a way the Cowboys can keep him.

It would be best for the Cowboys if Schoonmaker shows some starting capability. Otherwise, it's back to the drawing board for the TE position in 2026.

I don’t think they will extend him. But he’s a better TE than many here give him credit for. He’s also an emotional leader. He’s gonna get. Nice deal. But you only extend elite guys, and churn the rest. That’s how you afford the elite players

 

[ShiningStar]

We need to see who emerges in the new offensive schemes.
Can Spann-Ford surprise?

We really do not have a top notch TE.

what does a top notch TE consist of? just curious.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I even think he is a little better than Ferg running up the seam to get some of those intermediate catches, but I think he also needs to take another step forward to live up to the 2nd round pick that was spent on him. 36 catches for 313 yards over two years is production you can find just about anywhere.

That is a huge misrepresentation of Schoon saying 36-313 in 2 years. He shouldn't have played his rookie year. It was a miracle he got on the field some battling his injuries.

Also, what would you call taking another step forward? Keep in mind, he will only get so many targets being behind WR1, WR2, WR3, WR4, RB1, TE1 at a minimum. That puts him 7th at the table. This off season I keep seeing people say the same thing, He needs to step up or his production numbers need to be better. Exactly how is that going to happen?

Also part 2, he wasn't drafted to be a pass catching TE. He has consistently gotten better and can be counted on like last year when the Cowboys needed him.

 

[Gambit]

That is a huge misrepresentation of Schoon saying 36-313 in 2 years. He shouldn't have played his rookie year. It was a miracle he got on the field some battling his injuries.

Also, what would you call taking another step forward? Keep in mind, he will only get so many targets being behind WR1, WR2, WR3, WR4, RB1, TE1 at a minimum. That puts him 7th at the table. This off season I keep seeing people say the same thing, He needs to step up or his production numbers need to be better. Exactly how is that going to happen?

Also part 2, he wasn't drafted to be a pass catching TE. He has consistently gotten better and can be counted on like last year when the Cowboys needed him.

And recently this is how Dallas has approached TE position.

 

[KingCorcoran]

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

Mingo is a phenom.

 

[Chasing6]

I'm unclear the point you're making with this, sincerely. Could you explain your position so I can better understand it?

2023 Ferguson played 17 games. 2024 he was injured only played 14 games.

2023 - 17 games - 71 receptions - average 4.2

2024 - 14 games - 59 receptions - average 4.2

Similar stats, with a backup QB. If he had a down year, so did CD Lamb.

 

[ConstantReboot]

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

No he sucks. His a bad pick. Thanks again Jerry.

 

[thunderpimp91]

That is a huge misrepresentation of Schoon saying 36-313 in 2 years. He shouldn't have played his rookie year. It was a miracle he got on the field some battling his injuries.

Also, what would you call taking another step forward? Keep in mind, he will only get so many targets being behind WR1, WR2, WR3, WR4, RB1, TE1 at a minimum. That puts him 7th at the table. This off season I keep seeing people say the same thing, He needs to step up or his production numbers need to be better. Exactly how is that going to happen?

Also part 2, he wasn't drafted to be a pass catching TE. He has consistently gotten better and can be counted on like last year when the Cowboys needed him.

Its not a huge misrepresentation, its simply his stats. I fully understand he battled through injury his rookie year, even before the season which gave him a slow start on learning at the NFL level. Getting banged up at the NFL level isn't abnormal though.

Even if we go off of just his 2024 production he had:

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

Schoon is a fine player, I don't exactly have an issue with him being on the roster, but hes also not done anything to really be knocking on the TE1 door to this point. Its also fair to say that you draft a TE in the 2nd round you have higher expectations than what he has delivered so far. 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. I don't really see the issue in that statement.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

In those games he averaged 4 catches for 48 yards per game. Certainly serviceable, but those were also the #30th, #27, and #25 pass defenses.

Who was his QB?

 

[thunderpimp91]

Who was his QB?

Cooper Rush...he averaged 41 attempts for 265 yards per game during that stretch of games.....To compare Dak Prescott averaged 247 yards per game in 2024.

QB play certainly matters, but we overvalue who the QB was in order to justify lackluster receiver production.

Ceedee Lamb still put up 100 catches for 1200 yards despite a backup QB for half the year, a shoulder injury, and he missed two games. Good players are still getting open. Good players are still getting theirs without the excuses. If we are talking about someone who could potentially push for a starting role that needs to be because they are thriving in the face of adversity, not because we lower the bar during adversity.

 

[JW82]

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

 

[Creeper]

When the Cowboys had Jason Witten they drafted Martellus Bennett. Bennett never got a chance playing behind Witten but after leaving Dallas he eventually made the Pro-Bowl.

Dalton Schultz's first 2 years in Dallas after they drafted him were unspectacular, gain because he got few chances behind Witten. When Witten retired Schultz became a very good TE in Dallas.

Now they have Ferguson who has played pretty well. But the point is, Schoonmaker will never develop to his potential until he gets the opportunities. If you compare his 2nd year to Schutlz's Schoonmaker had the better season. So maybe he can be a good TE, but we won't know as long as Fergie gets all the opportunities.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Cooper Rush...he averaged 41 attempts for 265 yards per game during that stretch of games.....To compare Dak Prescott averaged 247 yards per game in 2024.

QB play certainly matters, but we overvalue who the QB was in order to justify lackluster receiver production.

Ceedee Lamb still put up 100 catches for 1200 yards despite a backup QB for half the year, a shoulder injury, and he missed two games. Good players are still getting open. Good players are still getting theirs without the excuses. If we are talking about someone who could potentially push for a starting role that needs to be because they are thriving in the face of adversity, not because we lower the bar during adversity.

True but just me, after seeing Schoon's improvement from last season, I don't see much separation now between him and Ferg. It's not like Ferg was playing at an ALL-PRO level before his injury.
Schoon was drafted coz his protection skills ( MM mentioned the conference he played in ), so that part of his game was never questioned. But Ferg's injury gave him a chance to strengthen his route running and receiving skills. In fact, his career is looking similar to former Cowboy TE Shuzch (mp).

 

[kskboys]

IDK, has he learned to get open yet?

 

[thunderpimp91]

True but just me, after seeing Schoon's improvement from last season, I don't see much separation now between him and Ferg. It's not like Ferg was playing at an ALL-PRO level before his injury.
Schoon was drafted coz his protection skills ( MM mentioned the conference he played in ), so that part of his game was never questioned. But Ferg's injury gave him a chance to strengthen his route running and receiving skills. In fact, his career is looking similar to former Cowboy TE Shuzch (mp).

I'm fine with most of that, and agree that if he keeps improving he could get there. The issue is that he went from bad in 2023 to serviceable in 2024. We need to see him now go from serviceable to good in 2025. A starting TE in this league needs to be able to make some plays in the passing game. Being great in protection is certainly a plus, but its not why you start a TE....Schoon stayed in to block on about 9% of pass plays in 2024. Ferg stayed in for about 4% of pass plays in 2024.

I would also assume that the Cowboys would prefer to see Ferg in the starting role as hes the guy that can walk after this season and net them a draft pick while plugging Schoon into the lineup in 2026. Just feels very premature to me to think that Schoon is a legit contender for the TE1 spot based on what weve seen from him so far. I think he has to look dominant in camp to actually pass Ferg IMO.

 

[Chasing6]

True but just me, after seeing Schoon's improvement from last season, I don't see much separation now between him and Ferg. It's not like Ferg was playing at an ALL-PRO level before his injury.
Schoon was drafted coz his protection skills ( MM mentioned the conference he played in ), so that part of his game was never questioned. But Ferg's injury gave him a chance to strengthen his route running and receiving skills. In fact, his career is looking similar to former Cowboy TE Shuzch (mp).

Ferguson was hurt and playing with a back up QB. Same reason CD Lambs numbers were down. In a 17 game season he would have had the exact same amount of a catches as he did last season. Ferguson is fine and will be the TE1.

 

[fivetwos]

Ferguson is in his contract year and I just don't see a way the Cowboys can keep him.

It would be best for the Cowboys if Schoonmaker shows some starting capability. Otherwise, it's back to the drawing board for the TE position in 2026.

I think he is pretty good, better than his numbers show, but he is also easily replaceable with a day two draft pick.

Of course they will probably wait until Schoonmaker is gone also and force themselves into desperately needing a TE early in the 2027 draft. Same with WR2 next year. That plan has worked well for them.

One thing to keep in mind about Ferguson….Prescott loves him. They just may find the money.

 

[Gambit]

2023 Ferguson played 17 games. 2024 he was injured only played 14 games.

2023 - 17 games - 71 receptions - average 4.2

2024 - 14 games - 59 receptions - average 4.2

Similar stats, with a backup QB. If he had a down year, so did CD Lamb.

Thank you. Fair point. Worth noting in 2023 he had 5 tds 2024 zero. Also 2023 avg 44.8 yards per game vs 35.3 in 2024.

Also worth noting School more than tripled his receptions from 8 to 27 from 3.8 yds per game to 14.2 which could be a reason less production for Ferg

For CD
2023 17 games 135 receptions basically 8 per game 102.9 yards per game and 12 TDs

2024 15 games 101 receptions 6.73 per game 79.6 yards per game 6 TDs.

So yes stats down with same back up QB.

It probably felt like a bigger year for him to fans because of him hitting it out with shoulder and no Dak he still produced, albeit not at same level.

I'm not sure the point you're trying to make, the entire team just felt off last year.