3 burning questions on offense the Cowboys must answer during training camp
2. Where does Luke Schoonmaker fit in on offense?
Schultz's departure from the team this offseason opens the door for bigger roles for Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. Ferguson was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and Hendershot signed as an undrafted free agent the same year.
Ferguson had 19 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns in his first season and his best game came when Schultz was inactive -- putting together a four-catch, 40-yard, and one-touchdown performance. Hendershot had three touchdowns in his rookie season, including a rushing touchdown on Thanksgiving.
Both players, especially Ferguson, should see an uptick in playing time in year two following solid rookie campaigns.
But where does Schoonmaker fit in on offense?
The second-round rookie out of Michigan has dealt with a foot injury this offseason and was seen wearing a walking boot during minicamp. As a result, he didn't participate much with the team. The boot is now off, though, and the rookie is expected to be ready for training camp.
Rookie TE Luke Schoonmaker was wearing a protective boot on his right foot. He’s dealing with a case of plantar fascia that has limited his work in the OTAs. pic.twitter.com/wKqWTKrmPB
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 1, 2023
Schoonmaker finished his college career with just 54 catches for 637 yards and seven touchdowns in three college seasons. But his stats don't tell the whole story since Michigan ran the ball more than almost every team in Division I (60.8% of the time).
Since Schoonmaker wasn't out there much for team activities, training camp will give us our first look at the Cowboys' new tight end room. Will Schoonmaker line up with the first team? Is Ferguson the team's starter in Week 1?