Few Cowboys players need a big 2026 more than TE Luke Schoonmaker, but most of them probably have better opportunities. The former second-round pick is entering the final year of his contract with stalled development and potentially a lower spot on the depth chart. It’s going to be an uphill battle for Schoonmaker in what could be a career-defining season.
Background
Years in NFL: 3
Acquired by: 2023 2nd-round pick
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Schoonmaker was considered a Day 2 prospect in the 2023 draft class, and that’s exactly where the Cowboys got him as the 58th-overall pick. But Dallas’ need for TE that high was heavily questioned as, the year before, they’d seemed to find a Day 3 diamond with Jake Fergsuon. But with Dalton Schultz leaving in free agency and Ferguson being handed the starting job, the Cowboys felt they needed to hedge their bet both for that year and long-term. So, they spent the high pick on Schoonmaker.
Ferguson had a big first year as the starter, which led to some immediate chirping about the Schoonmaker pick being wasted. It was made worse by the fact that, despite the Cowboys’ struggling with receiving options in 2023, Schoonmaker was barely useful with just eight catches on 15 targets. Part of that was due to Mike McCarthy’s offense, but Schoonmaker reportedly struggled on the practice field as well.
In 2024, Schoonmaker’s contributions didn’t really increase. He did get more playing during a three-game absence by Ferguson due to injury, which helped his overall numbers, but when he was in the backup role he remained mostly invisible on offense. That worsened last year when another TE prospect, Brevyn Spann-Ford, started to make plays in even more limited opportunities.
By the end of 2025, Spann-Ford was rivaling Schoonmaker for snaps and status. Going into this season, Spann-Ford has the momentum as the two continue their battle for the TE2 position. Schoonmaker’s spot with the Cowboys isn’t the only thing on the line, but his 2027 free agency will be heavily impacted over the next several months.
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Contract Status
Years Left: 1
2026 Cap Hit: $1.99 million
As his rookie deal winds up, Schoonmaker still has a modest cap hit that had remained low thanks to his not triggering performance bonuses. With just $389k in dead money on the deal, the Cowboys could get back about $1.6 million in cap space this year if they decide to move on to other prospects.
2026 Projections
Role: Backup TE
Roster Chance: 66%
Is Schoonmaker competing with Spann-Ford for the primary backup role or with the rest of the pack for the third spot? That’s up for personal debate, but there’s a strong argument for the latter. Spann-Ford’s rise last year, thanks mostly to superior blocking ability but also solid receiving skills, give him the inside track. Some feel that he’s already separated himself enough to leave Schoonmaker fighting for his life with Dallas’ other developmental prospects.
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Despite this being just his fourth season, Schoonmaker is already set to turn 28 in September. This was one of the knocks on him going back to the draft: too old for much upside or time to develop. And that’s how things have really played out in Dallas, not much evidence of growth from his rookie season until now. This make him even more vulnerable against the younger prospects in camp.
The guy everyone’s intrigued with this summer is Baylor’s Michael Trigg, who brings enough athleticism to work as a big slot and create mismatch problems. But he went undrafted for reasons, so we’ll see if any concerns over his chracter or effort show themselves in camp. If not, Trigg could be the guy who pushes Schoonmaker to an early exit.
Dallas probably isn’t going to keep four tight ends as they also carry a fullback, and that Hunter Leupke is capable of playing backup TE himself. So both Schoonmaker and Trigg, or some other TE prospect, making the roster is probably not happening without an injury situation.
Maybe Luke Schoonmaker is still more involved in the TE2 conversation than we think. If so, hopefully it’s a sign that he has made some strides in his play and that he and Spann-Ford can improve the overall depth. But if Schoonmaker remains unimpactful in this year’s camp, the Cowboys may finally decide to move on to someone with more future potential.
Check out our previous player profiles from this series:
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RB Israel Abanikanda
C Cooper Beebe
G Tyler Booker
S Alijah Clark
OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku
TE Jake Ferguson
WR Ryan Flournoy
C Matt Hennessy
S Malik Hooker
OLB James Houston
WR Jordan Hudson
LB Shemar James
G Trevor Keegan
CB Derion Kendrick
OLB Isaiah Land
S P.J. Locke
FB Hunter Luepke
RB Phil Mafah
QB Joe Milton III
WR Jonathan Mingo
CB Devin Moore
LB DeMarvion Overshown
TE DJ Rogers
LS Trent Sieg
WR Anthony Smith
OT Terence Steele
CB Reddy Steward
DT Jay Toia
OLB Tyrus Wheat
OLB Sam Williams
DT D.J. Withers
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