The Dallas Cowboys are at least riding high on one of the most dynamic offenses in the league, led by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. One of the Cowboys' usual reliable weapons still made the Pro Bowl in 2025, but to be honest, his yardage felt like empty calories.
That's starting tight end, Jake Ferguson. The four-year man out of Wisconsin is now a two-time Pro Bowler and has become a security blanket for Prescott, similar to Jason Witten's role with Tony Romo. Last season, Ferguson put up career highs in receptions and touchdowns, and finished with 82 catches, 600 yards and eight scores.
But Cowboys beat writer Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News says, despite Ferguson making another Pro Bowl appearance, his usage in the middle of the field wasn't great.
"Last year, that part of the Cowboys' offense wasn't maximized to its full capability. Tight end Jake Ferguson, a reliable seam option over the middle, finished the season with a career-low in average depth of target (4.7 yards down field) and yards per reception (7.3) despite having a career high with 82 receptions. A successful seam completion takes chemistry and ability. It's something the Cowboys should try to emphasize this offseason."
Jake Ferguson has to be involved in downfield plays to maximize the Cowboys' offense
We may have always noticed Ferguson catching the ball at a high volume anywhere on the field, but he has to be a downfield threat if the Cowboys want to be an even better offense.
One red flag this season for Ferguson was Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, when he had 13 catches for 82 yards and an average of 6.3 yards per reception. If Ferguson had 13 grabs in a game, he should've easily gone for over 100 yards, maybe even 120, but Prescott was looking for him for short-yard receptions, and that's not where the former Wisconsin TE thrives.
George Pickens was also the surprise of the season, so it's not shocking that Prescott was looking in his direction more than Ferguson. Despite the raw athleticism in Pickens' game, Prescott needs to connect with his TE in the middle of the field.
It's hard to say the two-time Pro Bowler is the Achilles heel instead of the left tackle situation, but Brian Schottenheimer at least has some answers if things go wrong with Tyler Guyton. Fourth-round pick Drew Shelton and Nate Thomas are reliable options, but who's the answer at TE if Prescott still can't find Ferguson down the field?
Well, an obvious answer is Brevyn Spann-Ford, but he's more utilized in blocking packages, and that's his strength. Another one is UDFA Michael Trigg, who has a solid pass catcher at Baylor, but doesn't block as well as someone like Spann-Ford.
Ferguson is still a TE that Prescott can trust, but Hoyt is 100 percent on the dot here. Schottenheimer has to find deeper routes for him instead of check-down routes. If the Cowboys' offense can do that, they can explode even better than last season.
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