The Dallas Cowboys are quickly running out of tight ends.
Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson was hurt early in Sunday’s Week 8 game against the Arizona Cardinals and was quickly listed as “questionable” to return.
“Jake Ferguson is questionable to return with an ankle injury. Already down Luke Schoonmaker,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on his official X account. “Last two TEs are Brevyn Spann-Ford and James Mitchell.”
“Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson is questionable to return with an ankle injury,” The Athletic’s Jon Machota wrote on X.
Cowboys Phasing Ferguson Out of Offense
The Cowboys’ 38-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles was done with little to no contribution from Ferguson.
Ferguson didn’t start for a second straight game as Brevyn Spann-Ford got his second straight start. He caught no passes on just one target, and he drew pass interference on NFL All-Pro slot cornerback Cooper DeJean.
It was the first game this season Ferguson went without a catch and seems to signal the offense moving away from him entirely — and for good reason.
“If you’re seeing this right now just know you had the same amount of receptions as Jake Ferguson today,” Cowboys fan Young Chuy wrote on his official X account.
Ferguson is one of the NFL’s highest-paid tight ends, so his absence is notable — he signed a 4-year, $52 million contract extension before the 2025 season.
Breaking Down How Ferguson Became Unplayable
Pulse of the Star’s Zach Schmidt broke down — pretty astutely — why the Cowboys benched Ferguson in favor of Spann-Ford.
“We all know that Jake Ferguson has a ball-handling issue,” Schmidt wrote on his official X account on October 10. “But just how drastic is the rate at which he fumbles and drops the ball? Since 2024 Ferguson has 7 recorded drops, as well as his league leading 8 fumbles for tight ends. Similarly, players such as Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall and James Cook all have around the same numbers. The difference? These others are running backs with hundreds of touches both through the air and on the ground. Ferguson averages 4-5 touches per game in that same timeframe. Fumbles to touches rate per player include- -Robinson: 1 fumble per 118 touches -Henry: 1 fumble per 108 touches -Hall: 1 fumble per 75 touches -Cook III: 1 fumble per 73 touches Jake Ferguson, on the other hand, as a pass catcher only is averaging 1 fumble per 19 touches…. That is a GROTESQUE 42% rate. As well as a similar 45% dropped pass rate. These numbers are that of practice squad players getting their first game action.”
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