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FRISCO, Texas -- It's the time of the offseason when the rubber begins meeting the road for the 蜜桃TV. The biggest waves of free agency and the drama of the 2026 NFL Draft are now both in the rear view mirror, and the page now turns to OTAs, minicamp and the heated position battles awaiting players in training camp.
But before they turn the page to begin OTAs in early June, let's take a moment to dive into several key players on the current roster who either have plenty to prove, or have already proven plenty and are seeking the validation of a Super Bowl trophy.
Introducing the brand-new series "3 Points", and it continues with tight end Jake Ferguson.
82
This number carries plenty of significance for Jake Ferguson and the tight end position. For starters, he recorded a career-high 82 receptions last season for the Cowboys, tying for the fourth-most in the NFL.
Interestingly, those 82 catches also tied him with Houston's Dalton Schultz 鈥� the former Cowboys tight end whom the front office opted not to re-sign in the XX offseason, largely because it believed Ferguson was ready to take the next step in Dallas. That belief has clearly materialized, though Schultz has continued to produce in Houston as well.
And of course, every tight end who begins his career in Dallas is measured against the lofty standard set by Jason Witten, the last player to wear No. 82 for the Cowboys.
7.3
For all the receptions Ferguson accumulated last season, they didn't always translate into significant yardage. Some of that can be attributed to the structure of the offense. With elite weapons on the outside in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, defenses are often stretched vertically, creating more opportunities for underneath throws to Ferguson and other tight ends.
Still, you'd like to see Ferguson's yards per reception trend closer to double digits, potentially turning more catches into first downs or explosive gains. Among the 28 tight ends who caught at least 40 passes in 2025, Ferguson's average yards per catch ranked lowest in the group.
To be fair, his career average sits at 8.8 yards per reception and was 9.5 prior to last season, suggesting that a return to his typical production level is well within reach in the year ahead.
109
Although Ferguson is still relatively early in his career 鈥� entering just his fifth season 鈥� he is already climbing the franchise record books at an impressive pace.
With 231 career receptions, Ferguson ranks fifth all-time among Cowboys tight ends and could continue ascending this season, with a chance to surpass both Billy Joe DuPree (267) and Doug Cosbie (300).
While it may not happen this year, Ferguson is also just 109 receptions away from passing Jay Novacek (339) for second place in franchise history among tight ends.
