The Dallas Cowboys have an extremely talented offense. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who disagrees with that idea.
Getting people to agree why the offense is so good might be challenging, though. Obviously the quarterback deserves a lot of credit, but Dak Prescott can be a divisive subject for some. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens present one of the top wide receiver duos in the league and it feels like this is where most people would assign the credit. Javonte Williams is a fine running back, but he is hardly one of the best in the NFL.
Recently ESPN has been putting together the best of each position through sourcing that they have done with executives, coaches, and scouts throughout the league. A few days ago, they did tight ends.
Jake Ferguson is regarded as a top half tight end
If asked to rank Jake Ferguson among tight ends, somewhere around 12 or 13 might be a good answer. That feels like the right neighborhood.
That is, effectively, where Ferguson came in on ESPN’s ranking of tight ends. He was listed as an honorable mention following the top 10, but his fumbling issues were why he was so penalized.
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys: “He’s really solid all around, high catch volume, tough, competes in the run game. His problem is fumbling. We targeted trying to get the ball loose when we played him.” — NFC scout
Ferguson has seven career fumbles and they have all come in the last two seasons so giving him this narrative isn’t exactly unfair. Interestingly this quote is attributed to an NFC scout who says it was a focus for his team against the Cowboys, and all seven of Ferguson’s fumbles have come against NFC teams: Giants, 49ers, Eagles (3 different games), Cardinals, and Lions.
Maybe the scout in question worked for one of those teams. Who knows. But either way the ranking here feels fair.
The top 10 tight ends if you are curious:
The Cowboys gave Jake Ferguson an extension while at training camp last year, and it was a modest one which falls in line with everything discussed here today. He is a productive player and justifiable starter across the league. You simply cannot have superstars everywhere.
It is also interesting to note that Ferguson is the highest-ranked tight end across the NFC East. None are listed in the top 10 and Ferguson is the only one of the honorable mentions. Dallas Goedert does appear in the “also receiving votes” category that trails those, though (so does Dalton Schultz).
Is Ferguson fairly ranked? Why or why not?
Let us know in the comments below.
