Cowboys Playmaker in Danger of Demotion, Says Analyst

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Luke Schoonmaker is fighting for a role on the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of intense position battles on the horizon when training camp begins in a little more than one month. Much has been made about the Cowboys running back battle with so much turnover at the position this offseason.

Another skill position to watch is tight end where Jake Ferguson has a stronghold on the starting position. Things are much less predictable behind Ferguson as players battle to emerge as the second tight end.

Luke Schoonmaker is a former second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but his career has not exactly lived up to the lofty expectations. Schoonmaker has yet to reach 30 receptions or 300 receiving yards in either of his first two NFL seasons. USA Today’s Ben Grimaldi makes the case for Brevyn Spann-Ford being a threat to Schoonmaker for the TE2 spot.

Let’s dive into the upcoming tight end battle.

Brevyn Spann-Ford Could Replace Luke Schoonmaker as the Cowboys TE2

Grimaldi predicts that the Cowboys will only keep three tight ends in Ferguson, Schoonmaker and Spann-Ford on the final 53-man roster. The Cowboys could face challenges in keeping more than three tight ends if Dallas retains additional running backs, a position facing much more uncertainty.

“Keeping four RBs and six WRs means the Cowboys go lighter at tight end,” Grimaldi detailed in a June 18, 2025, story titled, “53-man roster prediction for the Dallas Cowboys after OTAs and minicamp.” “Also, with John Stephens working back from another ACL injury, there might not be another player worthy of a spot.

“Ferguson is the starter, but don’t be surprised if Spann-Ford takes over for Schoonmaker at TE2 after a big offseason. Princeton Fant feels like a longshot, but if the team does keep four, Fant is likely the guy.”

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer on Brevyn Spann-Ford: ‘He’s pushing [Jake Ferguson] & [Luke Schoonmaker]’

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke glowingly about Spann-Ford during the team’s offseason practices. Spann-Ford played in all 17 games during his rookie season, but did not have a major role in the Cowboys offense. The tight end posted nine receptions for 88 yards in 2024.

“He had an incredible offseason,” Schottenheimer said of Spann-Ford on June 12, per Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris. “He really did. The size alone, he moves really well. I think he added six or seven pounds of lean muscle mass. This guy is not just a run blocker and a pass protector. This guy can be a weapon because of his size in the middle of the field, matched up on linebackers and safeties.

“The thing I loved about Brev from day one is you knew that this wasn’t too big for him. You knew mentally that he knew, ‘I belong here. It doesn’t matter how I got here, I belong here.’ And he’s pushing [Jake Ferguson] and [Luke Schoonmaker] and all those guys. He’s already made the jump. You asked me how I feel about it, he’s already made the jump. He’s another guy that when he puts the pads on you’re going to see on the field.”

Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams