Are the Cowboys looking at a free agent tight end in 2025?

Considering how many holes the Cowboys are trying to fill this spring, tight end might be the one position that they should ignore.

Dallas has a solid top three tight ends on their depth chart coming into next month’s draft. Bringing in another tight end might be overkill.

In other words, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Problem is, how many times have we seen the Cowboys step into the spring with a “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach this century?

Assuming they have adding another tight end low on the checklist, let’s examine who the top free agent tight ends are that remain unsigned:

The Top 6 Free Agents

Here are the top six tight ends that remain unsigned free agents so far:

Mo Alie-Cox

Jordan Akins

Hayden Hurst

C.J. Uzomah

Gerald Everett

Irv Smith Jr.

Alie-Cox has played all seven of his seasons for the Colts. His two best years came in 2020 and 2021, when he had over 300 receiving yards in both years.

He’s failed to crack 20 catches or 200 yards in a season ever since.

And remember, he’s currently ranked at the top of the available free agents at tight end.

Akins actually had a decent year in Cleveland last year. With 390 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 40 catches, he’ll probably land somewhere.

Hurst has played for five teams in seven seasons and had just 73 yards on eight catches for the Chargers last year.

Can he make it six teams in eight years?

Uzomah had eight catches for 58 yards and a touchdown for the Jets in 2023 and failed to catch a pass in seven games with the Eagles last year.

Everett and Smith aren’t much better either.

Dallas’ Interest?

It should be absolute zero. In fact, if a negative percentage was possible, I’d list it here instead.

The Cowboys currently have five tight ends on the roster:

Jake Ferguson

Luke Schoonmaker

Brevyn Spann-Ford

Princeton Fant

John Stephens Jr.

The last thing they need to do is burn up salary cap money on the position.

When Dalton Schultz departed in free agency following the 2022 season, everyone panicked. Including Jerry Jones and the front office.

They reached for Schoonmaker in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

The rookie from Michigan arrived as damaged goods, battling a pre-draft foot injury the Cowboys were well aware of.

In his rookie year, Schoonmaker had eight catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

Ferguson, who is a year younger in age than Schoonmaker, started 16 of the 17 games in 2023. He had 761 yards and five touchdowns on 71 catches.

In other words, the solution was already on the team and Dallas didn’t have to reach for Schoonmaker after all.

The good news is that Schoonmaker rebounded somewhat in 2024 with 27 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown in 17 games in six starts.

In limited action in 2024, undrafted free agent Spann-Ford hauled in nine passes for 88 yards in limited action. Spann-Ford’s strength lies in run blocking.

If the Cowboys are looking to pound the ball on the ground more, he’ll have plenty of playing time.

The final tight end slot, likely on the practice squad, will be a battle between Fant and Stephens. Fant has played in 10 games in two years, mostly on special teams.

Stephens has been injured and lost for the year in preseason in the last two years.

Final prediction: Sign, Draft, Or Trade?

Frankly, barring catastrophic injuries, the smart play here will be to do absolutely nothing.

It is highly doubtful that any of the top tight ends in the league will become available in a trade this year. And none of the top free agents are of a “must-sign” quality.

There are some good tight end prospects in next month’s draft.

But given the Cowboys’ record, the last thing any of us need to hear is that the Cowboys reached for a tight end on Thursday or Friday night.

Especially if it’s for Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the second round. To paraphrase Edna Mode: “No Second-Round Tight Ends!”

And there’s your obscure Pixar movie reference for the month.