There wasn’t much negativity to take away from the Dallas Cowboys dominant Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. However, the one thing that has the team anxious is the pending status of star tight end Jake Ferguson.
We discuss the latest surrounding the injury and why the team feels like they may have gotten a bit lucky as they await further updates.
Latest on Jake Ferguson’s Knee Injury
It was a quiet day in Week 1 for Ferguson, as he only finished with three receptions for 15 yards. However, that quietness turned into worry as the big-play tight end exited the matchup with a knee injury.
Ferguson left in the third quarter of the Cowboys’ 33-17 win over the Browns after he was tackled awkwardly. He was trying to avoid the would-be tackler but landed peculiarly with his knees in a vulnerable position.
As the play unfolded, television cameras could hear Ferguson audibly yell in pain. Then, with some assistance, he hobbled off the field and headed straight for the locker room. The tight end was listed as questionable to return but didn’t come back into the game — a decision that may have been impacted by the game already being in hand.
Jake Ferguson is down on the field after this play pic.twitter.com/VPe4JCK9i1
— BSGsports (@BSGsportsmedia) September 8, 2024
Following the game, Ferguson was seen leaving the locker room with just a bag of ice wrapped around the knee, looking to be in high spirits with no crutches or further assistance needed.
The young tight end told Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News that he felt he could have played through the injury if given the option and hopes it is just a hyperextension.
After an MRI on Monday morning, it was revealed that Ferguson suffered an MCL sprain. Overall, he may miss some time dealing with the injury, but it may not be much, if any. Regardless of whether there is an absence, it’s great news for Ferguson and the Cowboys.
UPDATE: While joining the guys at 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated that he is optimistic about Ferguson’s availability for this week’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
While it is worth monitoring to see if he does end up playing, it’s clear things are trending better than many had initially feared when it happened in real time.
On the surface, it looks good for the Cowboys, who hope to have their starter back soon. Quarterback Dak Prescott shared that sentiment following his conversation with Ferguson.
“I think we dodged a big one,” Prescott said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence that he’ll be OK.”
Who Steps Up if Ferguson Misses Time?
If Ferguson is slated to miss any time, it won’t be easy to replace him, no matter the length of the absence. The third-year tight end is a budding star in the NFL and is fresh off a Pro Bowl season where he finished with 71 receptions for 761 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
However, if the team is going to weather any potential storm, it will take a room full of young guys stepping up to do so.
Second-year player Luke Schoonmaker would be thrust into the spotlight following a quiet rookie year and would presumably be the first player asked to fill the gap. Schoonmaker’s talent is there; his ability to stay healthy and make a true impact has been an issue that has plagued him thus far.
Behind him is another second-year player, John Stephens Jr., who missed all of his rookie season with a torn ACL and Week 1 due to a hamstring injury. The Cowboys feel good about his prospects as a true pass-catching weapon. Still, they haven’t been able to see him in game action just yet.
The final name that factors into the equation is UDFA rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford. The 6’7″, 270-pound former Golden Gopher is a big-bodied tight end who made the Dallas roster due to his ability to be a tenacious in-line blocker. He does have receiving ability, but he is a blocking-first option at this point.
It’s not known how much time, if any, Ferguson is slated to miss. But this group will need to be ready to step up and help the Cowboys if called upon.