The Dallas Cowboys are not confident in their backup tight end. They believe he isn’t up to the standard required for the team. Yet, at the same time, there’s another backup tight end-on a different team-whom they do see as a potential solution. It might sound like a maze of contradictions, but that’s the current situation.
The tight end position is crucial for any NFL franchise, and for the Dallas Cowboys, it has become even more critical since the departure of Jason Witten. The team has yet to find a reliable player who can both dominate the position and build on-field chemistry with quarterback Dak Prescott.
Several teams across the league have already made notable moves in the offseason to address this position. Franchises from Miami to Pittsburgh and the New York Giants have all shuffled pieces to strengthen their rosters. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have remained mostly quiet when it comes to tight ends.
The move the Cowboys should make
So where do the Cowboys fit into all this? The ripple effect of these recent transactions has led fans and analysts alike to believe that Dallas should reopen trade discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The idea would be to push for a good player in this position, and , in return, send over tight end Darnell Washington-also a backup-who, at two meters tall and weighing 264 pounds, might benefit from a fresh start in Pittsburgh.
Washington has played two seasons with the Cowboys, during which he has recorded 26 receptions and just one touchdown. Still only 23 years old, his size and physicality could offer valuable support to the Steelers’ offense.
On the other hand, Dallas also has another tight end: Luke Schoonmaker, who joined the team in 2023, one round ahead of Washington in the draft. But Schoonmaker hasn’t managed to win over the Cowboys’ fanbase either. His stats are slightly better-36 receptions and three touchdowns-but that hasn’t been enough to silence doubts.
Both players have fallen short of expectations, but what confuses many is that Washington seems to stand out more positively than Schoonmaker, who is already being labeled a complete draft bust by many Cowboys supporters.
What’s clear is that the tight end position needs urgent reinforcement from someone with greater consistency and better production than either of the current options. Neither Washington nor Schoonmaker has proven to be the reliable weapon Dallas desperately needs. If the team wants to remain competitive and serious about contending, making a bold move at tight end-possibly involving the Steelers-might be the way forward.
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