Nobody grinds harder through May, June, and July than a football fan. It takes a special breed to survive the doldrums of the NFL offseason, so if you're reading this, congratulations: You made it to the other side.
With the Dallas Cowboys set to arrive in Oxnard on Monday, the fun is finally about to begin again. For fans, anyway. For the players, training camp marks the point where every rep matters and every roster spot has to be earned, and few Cowboys have more to prove this summer than Luke Schoonmaker.
The former second-round pick's job security has never been more tenuous. Brevyn Spann-Ford has already overtaken Schoonmaker as the No. 2 tight end, and rookie undrafted free agent Michael Trigg could be next to pass him on the depth chart.
If the Cowboys carry just three tight ends, Schoonmaker could be the odd man out when final roster cuts arrive.
Luke Schoonmaker will have Michael Trigg breathing down his neck at Cowboys training camp
It's clear by now that Schoonmaker won't earn a second contract with the Cowboys. He still hasn't carved out a meaningful role through three NFL seasons, while Trigg offers enough receiving upside that Dallas may not be willing to risk losing him on waivers.
Schoonmaker has appeared in all 51 regular-season games since being drafted, but he's managed just 49 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns.
Most of Schoonmaker's playing time has come on special teams, which is concerning given his scouting profile coming out of Michigan. Touted as an athletic run blocker with reliable hands, he's yet to establish himself as either an early-down blocker or pass-catcher.
Ironically, Trigg's biggest knock is his lapses as a blocker. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, he's got the build to be effective in that department. It's just a matter of buying into that part of the position. If he clears that hurdle and proves he can contribute on special teams, he'll have a legitimate shot to leapfrog Schoonmaker.
In terms of making plays as a receiver, Trigg clears Schoonmaker pretty comfortably. One of college football's most dangerous TEs, the former Baylor Bear caught 50 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns as a senior. He plays like a big slot receiver and excels at vertical seam passes, making him a natural fit with Dak Prescott, who's never seen a seam ball he doesn't like.
That's not to say he's without flaws, but his field-stretching potential, ability to create yards after the catch, and win vs. man coverage in the red zone are unmatched in Dallas' current tight end room.
If Trigg commits to improving the less glamorous aspects of the position, Schoonmaker may need an exceptional training camp to hold onto his roster spot. It may not be the most anticipated camp battle, but Schoonmaker vs. Trigg has the potential to be a doozy.
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