Tight end Jake Ferguson's starter position in the Dallas Cowboys is in jeopardy due to the recent changes made to the roster in the offseason.

Host of the 'Landry Hat' podcast, Zac Lee, noted six players of the Cowboys who are under pressure to perform. According to him, Jake Ferguson tops the list for this season in his recent episode.

"I want to start with a guy that just got paid last year after the Micah Parsons debacle, and that is Jake Ferguson,” Zac said. “Just got a big contract from the Cowboys - a 4-year $52 million contract. But honestly, throw the money out the window. That doesn't matter to me. He's under the most pressure because he hasn't been good the past two years."

Ferguson signed a four-year, $50 million contract and $28.4 million guaranteed, with an average annual salary of $12.5 million, according to Spotrac.

The Cowboys had selected Ferguson as the 129th pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He started with 19 catches for 174 yards, two touchdowns as a backup for Dalton Schultz in his rookie season. 

Zac made Ferguson's comparisons to the Kansas City Chiefs' tight end, Travis Kelce. Kelce has shown consistent and powerful growth compared to Ferguson, whose production has not elevated since 2024. 

"A 11th-year Travis Kelce, a 35, 36, 37-year-old Kelce, outperformed Ferguson after the catch or down the field or down the middle of the field,” Zac Lee added. “That cannot be happening for a guy that's supposed to be the future at the tight end position."

Ferguson’s record for 2025 had him recording 82 catches for 600 yards and eight touchdowns. The main point of concern was his average yards per reception barely exceeded 7 yards last season.

Zac also notes that Kelce has not recorded fewer than 8.5 yards per reception throughout his 13-year career. Meanwhile, Ferguson’s growth is stagnant and declining from 10.7 to 7.3 yards per reception. 

Though the Cowboys' tight end room need more depth, Schottenheimer believes it to be the most stable position on the team's roster.

Breaking Down the Cowboys’ Tight End Options 

The Cowboys signed two undrafted free agents at the tight end position after the 2026 NFL Draft. They signed D.J.Rogers and Michael Trigg for a $200,000 contract, being the highest for a UDFA signing. 

“I’m really excited about those two young men, and adding it to a group that I feel is one of the most stable positions on our roster,” Schottenheimer noted, as per Blogging the Boys report. 

D.J.Rogers is expected to be a valuable depth player in the special teams and offense. Menwhile, Brevyn Spann-Ford is widely considered to be a backup at the TE3 position after Ferguson and veteran Luke Schoonmaker. 

According to Sports Illustrated's Randy Gurzi, the Cowboys may keep Trigg while cutting Schoonmaker, mostly because of his stagnant productivity.  

While, Ferguson's position as a starter is not open for competition, the backup at TE2 and TE3 definitely is, with Trigg and Schoonmaker being the frontrunners for the spots.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan