Jake Ferguson

Cowboys Eyeing Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland, Jake Ferguson, Brandon Aubrey Extensions

April 3rd, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Progress has been made regarding a Micah Parsons extension, although the Cowboys still have work to do on that front. Other candidates for new deals are on the team’s radar, and they could have agreements in place this offseason.

When speaking to the media at the league meetings, EVP Stephen Jones listed a quartet of extension candidates for the Cowboys (courtesy of The Athletic’s Jon Machota). Left guard Tyler Smith, cornerback DaRon Bland, tight end Jake Ferguson and kicker Brandon Aubrey are all targets for new deals. The first three players are members of Dallas’ 2022 draft class, while Aubrey has been in Dallas for the past two years.

“There are scenarios where we sit down, have a visit with them,” Jones said. “You got to have two sides to get a negotiation done. We are certainly look at that with those guys.”

Smith was drafted with the intention of starting at guard and then moving to the blindside to replace Tyron Smith. The latter’s hamstring tear during training camp led to a change of plans, though. Tyler Smith played primarily at left tackle out of necessity during his rookie season before moving back inside the following year. Dallas kept the former first-rounder at guard for the most part in 2024, left tackle Tyler Guyton‘s rookie campaign. If Guyton develops as hoped, Smith could remain in place along the interior for years to come.

The guard market has seen surges in recent years, and five players are now attached to an AAV of $20MM or more. Smith ranked 11th in PFF grade amongst guards in 2023, and slotted in at No. 15 at the position last year. A new deal at the top of the pecking order may not be in store for the 24-year-old, but he represents a logical candidate for a long-term investment. Presuming Dallas picks up Smith’s fifth-year option for 2026, he will be scheduled to receive $21.27MM.

Bland outperformed his draft stock during his first two seasons in particular. The former fifth-rounder racked up five interceptions as a rookie, then added nine (including an NFL-record five returned for touchdowns) to his total in 2023. Bland was limited to just seven games this past campaign, failing to record a pick along the way. That could hurt his value on a new pact, one which would give the Cowboys a pair of corners (Trevon Diggs being the other) on second contracts.

Ferguson assumed TE1 duties when Dalton Schultz departed in free agency in 2023. He quickly became a key figure on offense, registering 761 yards and five touchdowns on 71 catches. Ferguson, 26, faced high expectations entering this past season as a result. Across 14 games, however, he only managed 494 scoreless yards while the Cowboys dealt with many injuries on offense. A rebound in 2025 would help the Wisconsin product’s free agent value if he elected to test the market. Failing that, he could ink a deal keeping him atop the depth chart.

Aubrey’s arrival in Dallas paved the way for what has been a remarkable run of success so far. A former draftee of Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, he won out the kicking role in 2023 and connected on 36 of 38 field goal tries. Aubrey saw his FG accuracy rate fall to 85.1% this past campaign, but he recorded a 65-yard field goal (one yard shy of matching the all-time record). At the age of 30, he would be counted on remain one of the league’s top kickers – a position which now features three $6MM-per-year players – in the event he inked a long-term deal. Aubrey could alternatively be retained next offseason via a restricted free agent tender.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, receiver CeeDee Lamb and (presuming an agreement is eventually reached) Parsons will account for major Cowboys cap commitments in 2025 and beyond. The quartet Jones named as important players to retain will also be in line for raises in the event some or all of them ink new pacts in the near future, though.

Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson Suffers MCL Sprain

September 9th, 2024 at 11:26am CST by Adam La Rose

Jake Ferguson exited the Cowboys’ season-opening win on Sunday, but he has avoided the worst-case scenario on the injury front. The third-year tight end is not expected to miss considerable time (if any), as first reported by WFAA’s Ed Werder.

Ferguson – who offered an encouraging update on his status Monday – is nevertheless in danger of being sidelined for a brief stretch. Tests revealed he is dealing with an MCL sprain as well as a bone bruise, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He is therefore considered week-to-week at this point, although ESPN’s Todd Archer confirms Ferguson is still a candidate to play in Week 2.

After a relatively quiet rookie season, Ferguson took a notable step forward in production last year. Dalton Schultz‘s successor posted 761 yards and five touchdowns on 71 receptions in 2023. Expectations are high for a repeat of that output this campaign, one in which CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks remain atop the receiver depth chart. Quarterback Dak Prescott will stay in place for years to come, but one of his top targets may be temporarily unavailable.

Dallas beat Cleveland 33-17 on Sunday, with Ferguson registering three catches on five targets. The 25-year-old earned a Pro Bowl nod for his production last year, and a similar showing in 2024 would set him up well for an extension in March. Two years remain on his rookie contract, though, and Micah Parsons headlines the list of Cowboys in line for a new deal during the 2025 offseason.

If Ferguson misses time, Lamb and Cooks will be positioned to remain focal points in the passing game. At the tight end spot in particular, Dallas will turn to Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford for an increased offensive workload if required. In relatively short order, though, Ferguson should be back to full health.

Cowboys Rumors: Davis, Ferguson, Tolbert

June 24th, 2023 at 3:49pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys have a number of depth chart battles to deal with heading into the 2023 season, including a left guard starting role that we touched on earlier this month. Another battle they’re currently dealing with, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic, is the backup running back gig.

Tony Pollard returns as the obvious starter at running back in Dallas. He’ll finally get a chance to take on a lion’s share of the teams carries after spending the first four years of his career splitting touches with Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys are now tasked with figuring out who will be the primary backup taking snaps behind Pollard.

One of the favorites for the job is second year back Malik Davis. As an undrafted rookie out of Florida, Davis appeared in 12 games last season, carrying the ball 38 times for 161 yards and a touchdown and catching six passes for 63 yards. He was the only running back not named Pollard or Elliott to contribute to the Cowboys’ offense last year, giving him the advantage of experience in Dallas’s system.

In order to earn the role, Davis will have to fight off offseason additions Ronald Jones and Deuce Vaughn. Jones is the most experienced of the three after winning Super Bowl rings with both the Buccaneers and the Chiefs. He has plenty of experience in both of his previous situations dealing with the demands of a backup running back, as well. Jones brings the experience of adapting to a new system from last year but still will need to catch up to Davis’s current familiarity with the team. Vaughn is coming off two stellar seasons at Kansas State and brings a different element to the game with his style and stature. He will have to quickly adjust to the NFL-level of play, though, in order to sneak past Davis and Jones on the depth chart.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Texas:

With Dalton Schultz now in Houston, the Cowboys will also have to figure out who takes the first snaps at tight end. They’re likely to utilize a number of tight ends in different situations, but right now, second year tight end Jake Ferguson is the favorite to start, according to Machota. The former fourth-round pick started eight games as a rookie and has the most experience playing in the Cowboys’ system. This year’s second-round rookie Luke Schoonmaker is sure to push Ferguson for playing time at some point, but currently, he’s still dealing with a plantar fascia issue that’s kept him from pushing for the top of the depth chart.
After a disappointing rookie season for last year’s third-round receiver Jalen Tolbert that saw him only appear in eight games and make two catches for 12 yards, the Cowboys are hoping for much more in Year 2. The team reportedly had enough confidence in the South Alabama product that they considered drafting him in the second round last year, according to Machota. Tolbert will have every opportunity to win the WR4 job in Dallas.

Cowboys Finish Signing 2022 Draft Class

June 8th, 2022 at 10:29pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys have officially signed their entire draft class. The team announced today that they’ve signed fourth-round tight end Jake Ferguson to his four-year rookie pact.

Ferguson was relatively consistent during his four years at Wisconsin. In 47 games, the tight end hauled in 145 receptions for 1,618 yards and 13 touchdowns. Thanks to that production, he was the eighth tight end off the board during this year’s draft, going to Dallas with pick No. 129.

Dalton Schultz isn’t participating in OTAs while he looks for a new deal, so Ferguson will have a chance to show what he’s got with increased reps. The rookie will be competing with the likes of Sean McKeon and Jeremy Sprinkle for the second spot on the depth chart.

With the signing, Dallas has signed all nine of their draft picks:

Round 1: No. 24 Tyler Smith, OL (Tulsa) (signed)
Round 2: No. 56 Sam Williams, DE (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3: No. 88 Jalen Tolbert, WR (South Alabama) (signed)
Round 4: No. 129 Jake Ferguson, TE (Wisconsin)
Round 5: No. 155 (from Browns) Matt Waletzko, OT (North Dakota) (signed)
Round 5: No. 167 DaRon Bland, CB (Fresno State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 176 Damone Clark, LB (LSU) (signed)
Round 5: No. 178 John Ridgeway, DT (Arkansas) (signed)
Round 6: No. 193 (from Browns) Devin Harper, LB (Oklahoma State) (signed)