Injuries are part of the NFL game. They have been since Fran Tarkenton was running around in the 1960s and they will be when Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is calling audibles at the line.

A mark of a good team is how well they can respond to the adversity that injuries bring. The Dallas Cowboys know about this all too well.

Countless times they watched injuries to former players like QB Tony Romo, LT Tyron Smith, and WR Dez Bryant completely cripple their offensive attack.

Those were the days under former HC Jason Garrett, and even though he preached a “next man up” mentality, we rarely saw individuals step into those big shoes and prove his philosophy.

Things have been much different in recent years. HC Mike McCarthy and his staff have done an incredible job of creating competition throughout the roster. Unless you are a bonafide superstar, (Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, or Micah Parsons) your spot is not guaranteed.

This strategy has created one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, and injuries have not crippled the team like they used to. Dallas survived a broken finger on Prescott’s hand in 2022 when Cooper Rush and a stout defense posted a 4-1 record without Dak.

They have also survived injuries to Tyron Smith. Everyone remembers the Adrian Clayborn game in Atlanta, right? Backup LT Chaz Green gave up six sacks to the journeyman defensive end.

That doesn’t happen anymore, but one starter’s spot may be in jeopardy this offseason due to an untimely injury.

Luke Schoonmaker

Last year’s 2nd round pick Luke Schoonmaker missed rookie on-field activities last season with a foot injury. After the season-ending loss to the Packers in January, he underwent shoulder surgery.

Now he is dealing with a hamstring strain that reportedly will keep him out of OTAs completely. Sitting with a tablet studying the offense and watching from the sideline is not the same as on-field reps, and it showed during his underwhelming rookie season.

There are expectations for Schoonmaker this season that are greater than the expectations from his rookie season. Without a clear WR3 on the offense, expect the Cowboys to run more 12 personnel.

For those who don’t know what 12 personnel is, it’s a formation featuring one running back and two tight ends. Two wide receivers outside is understood.

I believe the Cowboys will run more 12 personnel this season. Whether or not Schoonmaker is the tight end opposite of Jake Ferguson is up to him.

Or maybe it’s not up to him. There is competition in the tight end room, and Schoonmaker’s job is not safe from the talent on the roster bubble.

John Stephens Jr.

John Stephens Jr. was a name being thrown around social media last season with anticipation that he could be the next matchup nightmare for defenses from the tight end position.

An unfortunate ACL tear during the preseason put a halt to that hype, but Stephens is back this year and looking to build upon the foundation he laid last offseason.

Stephens is an interesting prospect with the height and length to put unwanted pressure on NFL linebackers or safeties.

A college wide receiver, he was deemed too slow to be an NFL wide receiver and the Cowboys signed him as a priority rookie free agent with the intention of switching him to tight end.

It all appeared to be working out well. He even caught a touchdown pass from Will Grier in the preseason.

The ACL injury derailed his chances of making the team last year, but this season he has plenty of opportunity to make his mark.

One of the concerns last year was that Stephens needed to bulk up. Despite his height, his frame was still closer to a wide receiver than a tight end.

Reports say he has shown up this season with a much larger frame. Will this be enough for him to move up the depth chart?

Brevyn Spann-Ford

Another athletic freak, Brevyn Spann-Ford might be more of what the Cowboys are looking for to help their offense than a receiving tight end like Stephens Jr.

Spann-Ford was signed by the Cowboys as a priority rookie free agent immediately after the draft from the University of Minnesota.

The former Golden Gopher stands nearly 6’7″ tall in a 260-pound frame built for chipping defensive ends, sealing linebackers inside, and forcing defensive backs to the sideline in run support.

His run-blocking ability alone may be enough for him to sneak onto the team, and he would be a welcome addition to line up on the field opposite Ferguson.

There haven’t been much reported out of The Star about Spann-Ford’s progress but sometimes no news is good news.

Schoonmaker had better get healthy and get back on the field as soon as possible because these two young players are waiting in the wings to take his job.