Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker could very well be on the move after 2026.
We often hear NFL teams talk about wanting "sure things" in the offseason when it comes to roster building, but as we know, that is far from the truth, and the Dallas Cowboys are finding that out.
Just because a player is a high draft pick means absolutely zero regarding how good a player they will become.
Of course, first-round picks have a higher hit rate, and as you go through the rounds, the hit rate is considerably lower.
But in the second round? Yeah, you should expect something, shouldn't you?
Well, the Cowboys haven't gotten much out of tight end Luke Schoonmaker since drafting him in 2023. ... and that nasty word "bust'' might be in play.
Granted, he was drafted more for his blocking prowess than receiving ability, but even Schoonmaker's blocking isn't enough anymore. Others have overtaken him.
As we began the 2025 season, it was Brevy Spann-Ford who had jumped ahead of Schoonmaker on the depth chart, despite Luke being listed as the No. 2.
Looking at the stats, Schoonmaker had the "better" season, finishing with 132 yards from 14 receptions compared to Spann-Ford's 90 yards and a touchdown from nine catches.
But there is no doubt Spann-Ford has jumped over Schoonmaker ahead of the 2025 season. And that was only reinforced as the weeks went on.
To the point where, entering the offseason, Spann-Ford is easily ahead of Schoonmaker on the depth chart.
Spann-Ford will be a free agent in 2027, but it is easy to envision Dallas offering an extension. As for Schoonmaker, his future beyond 2026 is murky at best.
"This upcoming season could be Schoonmaker’s last in Dallas," The Athletic's Jon Machota wrote. "The 2023 second-round pick has not met expectations. Spann-Ford, on the other hand, is likely to get a contract extension offer."
The writing appears to be on the wall for Schoonmaker, barring a huge uptick in form, but for a player taken in the second-round, he hasn't surpassed 242 yards and more than 27 receptions in a season.
Not to mention a drop in snap count from Year 2 to Year 3.
So a huge offseason awaits Schoonmaker, a player Cowboys Nation has been "out" on for the past 18 months.
Play well, and above what he has produced in his career to date, and maybe his career in Dallas gets extended.
But continue along as he has done, along with Spann-Ford's rapid rise, and there will be only one outcome for the former Michigan Wolverine.