The Dallas Cowboys may have an intriguing competition brewing for the TE2 spot behind starter Jake Ferguson after the first two weeks of the regular season.
Third-year tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, entered this season as the TE2 despite second-year tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford taking major strides this summer from his rookie year.
In Dallas' Week 2 win over the New York Giants, it was Spann-Ford who outplayed Schoonmaker. The former UDFA tight end showcased his run-blocking skills, as he took on a Giants defender and got him out of the picture, which opened up a nice rushing lane for RB Javonte Williams, as highlighted by Brandon Loree of Blogging The Boys.
Cowboys Fans Want to See More of Spann-Ford Going Forward
When Cowboys fans saw this clip on social media, they immediately started to clamor for the second-year tight end to get more playing time over Schoonmaker, and they aren’t wrong in their assessment.
Schoonmaker is coming off an okay 2024 season, as he started in a few games last season for an injured Ferguson. However, the former second-round pick has been a non-factor through the first two games (three targets, 0 receptions).
According to Pro Football Focus, Spann-Ford recorded the second-best offensive overall grade on the Cowboys (89.1) in Week 2. Meanwhile, Schoonmaker had one of the worst grades at 44.6.
Spann-Ford also graded higher in pass catching (60.7) than Schoonmaker (51.0), as he only had one reception (one target) for three yards. Finally, the former University of Minnesota tight end thoroughly outshone Schoonmaker in run blocking. Spann-Ford had an 86.6 grade on nine run blocking snaps, while Schoonmaker had a 44.6 grade on 10 run blocking snaps.
Since Dallas already has a top-tier receiving threat in Ferguson, they just need their TE2 to be a solid run blocker and occasional pass blocker. In one game, Spann-Ford has shown he can do both of those things.
The 27-year-old tight end has the athleticism to play all three tight end spots (flex, in-line, and h-back). That's a valuable weapon to have as Spann-Ford can line up across the formation. You'll take that over a tight end, who doesn't offer much in the passing game.
That said, it will be interesting to see how this battle continues as Spann-Ford has more upside than Schoonmaker. Will the Cowboys' offensive staff realize that? Or will they try to make it work with Schoonmaker, who hasn’t lived up to his second-round pick billing?