Micah Parsons was answering a question last week about the Dallas Cowboys’ lack of offseason moves when he mentioned Jake Ferguson.
In Parsons’ lengthy response about players on the roster taking another step this season, he noted that the third-year tight end is capable of being an All-Pro.
“Obviously, I have a high standard for myself,” Ferguson told The Athletic. “While I think I did some good last year, I think there’s a lot I need to clean up. That’s what I’m trying to do this whole year, just keep getting better every year, keep making that same jump. I made a jump last year, but there’s still a lot that I can fix. This year, just keep doing that, keep cleaning it up and keep trying to be as close to perfection as I can.”
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Ferguson was a Cowboys fourth-round pick two years ago. He never caught more than 46 passes in his four seasons at Wisconsin. He caught 19 as an NFL rookie. But he broke out with a Pro Bowl season last year that included 71 receptions, the second most on the team behind All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
“The tight end is supposed to block big D-ends, and he’s supposed to run routes against linebackers or safeties that are faster than him,” Ferguson said. “I’m trying to be the best complete tight end that I can be. That doesn’t mean excelling in one or excelling in the other. I want to be the best at everything I’m doing. I’m trying to be perfect at everything I’m doing. There’s no, ‘I’m good with just being a run-blocking tight end.’ I want to be complete.”
Though he wants to improve in all aspects, being a better blocker in the running game tops his list.
“Half the run game is training and getting stronger,” he said, “and then the other half is just being pissed off and trying to kill somebody.”
Dallas’ tight end depth chart has some questions. What isn’t up for debate is who is expected to be its No. 1 guy this season. Behind Ferguson are Luke Schoonmaker, Peyton Hendershot, John Stephens Jr., Brevyn Spann-Ford, Princeton Fant and Alec Holler. The Cowboys will probably keep only four on the 53-man roster. One or two will need to emerge, but Ferguson is in a position to be a significant factor in the offense. He averaged six targets per game last season. That number should increase with the departures of No. 3 wide receiver Michael Gallup and starting running back Tony Pollard, who combined for a little over seven targets per game in 2023. As long as they stay healthy, Ferguson should again have the opportunity to be second in targets behind Lamb.
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Ferguson was targeted 12 times in Dallas’ wild-card playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. He finished that game with 10 catches for 93 yards and three touchdowns.
“We always talk in our room about shooting for perfection and achieving excellence,” Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells said. “As you go back and comb through the tape, you have some plays that you left out there that you’re always chasing. It might be a drop. It might be a block.
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“The great ones play consistently on a high level every year throughout their career — the (Jason) Wittens of the world, the (Travis) Kelces of the world. You want to be able to chase that consistency and play great every year. I think that might be one of the things he’s focusing on is, ‘Hey, anybody can do it one year, but can I do it every year?’ And not only do it like that but do it a little bit better. Why not get to 1,000 yards? Why not execute all the blocks that you need to execute? Why not catch those balls (that were dropped)?”
It was common last season to see Wells and Ferguson spending extra time off to the side working on individual drills during the special teams portion of practice. That’s expected to continue this year.
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“Consistency in his passion and energy,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said of what has impressed him the most about Ferguson. “But really, just his growth as a football player. We talked a little bit about his weight; I think he’s done an outstanding job in the strength and conditioning phase of it. He’s having a great offseason. Very, very comfortable with the little things we’ve asked him to do on top of what he did last year.”
The tight end has been a big part of the passing game throughout Dak Prescott’s career. From Witten to Dalton Schultz to Ferguson last year, the Cowboys’ quarterback has had a strong connection with one of his tight ends. The 2024 season should be no different.
“Obviously, you see the jump he made from Year 1 to Year 2,” Prescott said of Ferguson, “and he’s improved his intensity in his preparation just in this offseason, the way that he’s treated his body, the way that he’s been communicating with me throughout the offseason, whether it’s catching and throwing. He’s a big-time playmaker for this team, for this offense. As long as he continues to get better, the sky’s the limit for his potential and what he can do for this team.”
| PLAYER | TEAM | TGT | REC | YDS | YPC | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
49ers | 90 | 65 | 1,020 | 15.7 | 6 | |
Lions | 120 | 86 | 889 | 10.3 | 10 | |
Cowboys | 102 | 71 | 761 | 10.7 | 5 |
The All-Pro tight ends last season were the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle and Detroit Lions’ Sam LaPorta. If Ferguson takes another noticeable step in Year 3, he’ll be in that conversation.
“To me, I think I’m not even scratching my surface,” Ferguson said. “There’s so many things that I want to get better at and I know I can get better at.”
— Cowboys reporter Saad Yousuf contributed to this story.
(Top photo: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
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