Cowboys offseason reasons to be positive – the rise of Jake Ferguson
Dalton Schultz left the Dallas Cowboys after a solid 2022 season where he finished third in touchdowns and sixth in receiving yards among tight ends. In the wake of Schultz’s departure fans felt concerned about the future of the position after so many years of Jason Witten dominating the league, then Schultz being a solid replacement.
As it turns out, the Cowboys may have struck gold at the position yet again. The front office spent a fourth-round draft selection in 2022 on Wisconsin’s starting tight end Jake Ferguson, and at the time this pick was met with mixed feelings. He was certainly a great blocking tight end in college which fit the Wisconsin style of football, but he only scored three touchdowns in 2021.
Ferguson’s rookie season was quiet mostly due to Schultz commanding so many targets and having a standout year. With that being the case, Ferguson still managed to score two touchdowns and corral 20 receptions. Neither stat stood out, but considering how the offense was set up it was a good start for Ferguson. With Schultz moving on in free agency, Ferguson stepped up and had an insanely productive breakout season last year. His five receiving touchdowns finished third-most among tight ends last year, an equal amount to Travis Kelce. And his 761 receiving yards was eighth-most among tight ends.
No Cowboys fan loves to bring up the 2023 NFC Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers as there was very little on both offense and defense to be happy about. But Ferguson was a shining star on offense who refused to go down without a fight. He kept clawing during that game and powered on to have a career game. He led the team that day in receptions (10) and in touchdowns with a very commendable three scores. Every touchdown Dak Prescott threw against Green Bay was into the hands of Jake Ferguson.
As a teammate and enforcer on the team, Ferguson is constantly seen on the field helping his fellow Cowboys players off the ground or protecting them after the play is over. Regardless of the size of the opposing player, Ferguson is quick to get in to back up his comrades.
With Brandin Cooks getting a little older and the rest of the receiving corps beyond CeeDee Lamb lingering with unanswered questions, Jake Ferguson represents a solid, steady force that is reliable in both the passing game and as a blocker. He’s set up this season to be the second-best receiving option on this Cowboys offense which can only mean his production from last season is set to go up.