Jake Ferguson’s breakout season makes him division’s top tight end

When Dalton Schultz departed Dallas for Houston prior to the 2023 season, many felt the Cowboys were weak at tight end.

Instead, they arguably have the best tight end in the NFC East. They could have the best tight end room in the division too.

In his second NFL season – and first as the Cowboys’ starting tight end – Jake Ferguson had a breakout campaign.

Ferguson caught 71 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Schultz was quickly forgotten. What remains to be seen in 2024 is if Dallas has the better overall room at the position.

Last year’s second round pick, Luke Schoonmaker, struggled with injuries even before he was drafted.

He had a pre-draft foot injury that lingered through last year’s mini-camp. Schoonmaker had offseason shoulder surgery and now he’s battling a hamstring issue.

He didn’t start a single game last year and finished with just eight catches and 65 yards.

He did score two touchdowns. But it was a catch that fell an inch short of the endzone in a loss to the Eagles that stands out in his highlight reel.

In short, Schoonmaker didn’t set the NFL world on fire in his rookie season and its feared his sophomore season won’t be much better.

Which leaves Peyton Hendershot – and his 15 catches for 141 yards and two scores in 25 games over two seasons – as the next option.

Unless the Cowboys discovered a diamond in the undrafted free agent rough in April.

Brevyn Spann-Ford started 25 games over his last two seasons at Minnesota. He had 736 yards on 67 catches with four touchdowns over that span.

If Schoonmaker and/or Hendershot continues to underperform, Spann-Ford could play his way to TE2.

If three of the four put it together this year the Cowboys would easily have the best tight end group in the NFC East.

New Duo In D.C.

While the Eagles have the second-best tight end in the division, the second-best tight end room in the NFC East is in D.C.

The Commanders landed free agent Zach Ertz. Then they drafted Kansas State’s Ben Sinnott in the second round back in April.

Even if Washington starts the season with a rookie QB, Ertz and Sinnott should have plenty of targets coming their way.

Their potential gives the Commanders a slight edge as the second-best tight end room in the NFC East.

Solo Bird In Philadelphia

Yes, Dallas Goedert is the second-best player at the position in the division.

He had 592 yards and three touchdowns on 59 catches in 2023. But in 2022 he had 702 receiving yards.

In 2021 he had a career-high 830 yards.

In other words, he seems to be declining as he enters his seventh NFL season.

And making matters worse for Philadelphia – while seating them firmly as the third-best room in the league – is that Goedert doesn’t have much back-up help.

They will enter the season with C.J. Uzomah as the likely TE2. Uzomah will be playing his 10th NFL season in 2024.

He has just 1,823 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 184 catches in his previous nine seasons.

If Goedert goes down, or has an off year, the Eagles aren’t going to get much production from the tight end room in 2024.

Next Man Up?

The Giants’ tight end room took a huge hit when Darren Waller announced his retirement.

Unless the Giants make a move – via trade or a free agent pickup after training camp cuts begin – they don’t have much to turn to.

By default – at least for now – Daniel Bellinger is the current TE1 in New York. He had 255 yards on just 25 catches in 2023.

Lawrence Cagers is the current TE2 coming off a four catch season for 36 yards and a score in 2023.

Tyree Jackson is trying to make the conversion from college quarterback to tight end.

Theo Johnson was drafted in the fourth round in April and could challenge Bellinger for the starting role. Likely he’ll have to work to secure the TE2 spot once camp breaks.

Regardless, the Giants don’t have much at tight end as the roster stands now.

Dallas Cowboys

Jake Ferguson

Luke Schoonmaker

Peyton Hendershot

Brevyn Spann-Ford

John Stephens Jr.

Princeton Fant

Alec Holler

New York Giants

Daniel Bellinger

Theo Johnson

Jack Stoll

Chris Manhertz

Lawrence Cager

Tyree Jackson

Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Goedert

Grant Calcaterra

C.J. Uzomah

Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.

E.J. Jenkins

McCallan Castles

Washington Commanders

Zach Ertz

Ben Sinnott

John Bates

Armani Rogers

Cole Turner

Colson Yankoff