The Dallas Cowboys have been making headlines for months due to their ongoing contract negotiations with their three biggest stars: quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and linebacker Micah Parsons. Of course, these headlines have not exactly been positive ones as they involve their ongoing contract negotiations.
All three star players expect to be the highest paid players at their respective positions. After Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love signed a contract extension that will pay him $55 million per season, Prescott is expected to make even more. Both Lamb and Parsons have expressed their desires to be the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, which means they each want more than $35 million per season.Ezoic
But while the focus has been on their established stars, little attention has been paid to one of their younger players who is rapidly ascending in the NFL.
Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jake Ferguson Had a Solid Season in 2023
Much has been said of the Cowboys having a near seamless transition at the quarterback position, going from Tony Romo to Prescott. The same cannot be said, though, of their transition at tight end. Jason Witten, of course, set the standard for NFL tight ends during his playing days with the Cowboys. Dalton Schultz, while a solid player, did not really come close to matching his level of production.
Schultz is now playing for the Houston Texans and was replaced by 2022 NFL Draft pick Jake Ferguson, formerly of the Wisconsin Badgers. In his first season as Dallas’ starting tight end, he was the second-leading pass catcher on the team. Only Lamb had more receptions and receiving yards.
Ferguson finished the 2023 season with 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns. He was named to his first career Pro Bowl, too.
One NFL analyst believes that last season might have been the launching point of a special career.
NFL Analyst Believes that Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jake Ferguson Could the Next Great Player at His Position
In a recent article on Bleacher Report in which he listed the five NFL tight ends who could be the league’s next big stars at the position, analyst Alex Kay included Ferguson.
He wrote:Ezoic
“Ferguson enjoyed tremendous success in his first season as the starter following the departure of predecessor Dalton Schultz. In only his second NFL campaign, he earned his first Pro Bowl nod, which Schultz failed to earn in any of the three seasons that he started for the Cowboys.
“Dallas seems confident in Ferguson’s ability to play a huge role in the passing game going forward. This offseason, the team parted ways with No. 3 wideout Michael Gallup and top running back Tony Pollard (an excellent pass-catcher) while declining to sign any notable free agents or utilize premium draft picks to bolster the receiving corps.
“If Ferguson makes the same type of leap that he made from his rookie to sophomore seasons, he’ll be a shoo-in for a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod and a realistic All-Pro candidate.”
As seen above, Kay believes that Ferguson could be considered an All-Pro candidate if he continues his ascension. Given how little Dallas added to the passing game this offseason, there is no reason to think that the former Badger won’t put up even better numbers in 2024.
