When the Dallas Cowboys signed tight end Jake Ferguson to a four-year, $50 million extension in July of 2025, it caught many fans and media off guard. It wasn’t that the three-year veteran was undeserving of a big contract, it’s that many viewed the tight end position to be a replaceable part in Dallas, with Ferguson a luxury the cap-strapped Cowboys simply couldn’t afford.
At the time of the signing, the Cowboys were knee-deep in Micah Parsons drama. Parsons, Dallas’ true Priority No. 1 last summer, was eagerly awaiting his own extension from the Cowboys. As the most valuable player of the defense, Parsons’ extension was anything but luxury – it was a need. Inking Ferguson before Parsons was like buying a sofa before finding a place to live.
Ferguson was also coming off an extremely poor 2024 campaign. Injuries contributed to declining receiving numbers, poor execution in blocking, and frequent mistakes. When all was said and done that year, Ferguson posted an all-time terrible season at the TE position, yet they re-signed him?
In an interview this past week with Dak Prescott, we might have finally found our explanation of the matter. When asked by Dianna Russini who his best friend in the NFL is, Prescott responded simply, “Jake Ferguson.”
In a reply that was too reflexive to be untrue, the Cowboys’ most important player on the roster just named Ferguson as his favorite human on the roster and instantly made someone who once seemed like a luxury, a necessity. Keeping star players happy is important for any team, and when those vessels of happiness are also downfield targets for those star players, retaining them is critical.
Ferguson would go on to reward Dallas, posting career numbers in both receptions and touchdowns. While his yards/target sat below his career average and his blocking bordered on pedestrian, he was a valuable outlet for Prescott in a season Prescott was often under pressure and needed reliable outlets.
Ferguson also helped soften the blow of Luke Schoonmaker’s slow development. Drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft, many expected the Michigan TE to take the reins by now. Schoonmaker has disappointed in that task and now enters his final season under contract positioned between TE2 and TE3 on the depth chart.
Last summer’s actions with Parsons and Ferguson are proof that contract extensions are based on more than shear talent. Cost, likeability and relationships also matter in professional sports, especially on the Cowboys.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Here’s why Cowboys prioritized Jake Ferguson’s extension last summer
Reporting by Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
