Even though he hasn’t been playing like it, the Dallas Cowboys have shown tight end Jake Ferguson they think he’s one of the NFL’s best at is position.
Coming off a season in which he had zero touchdown receptions, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport broke the news the Cowboys have rewarded Ferguson with a 4-year, $52 million contract extension on July 27.
The Cowboys followed Rapoport’s report with their own post on X with the news.
“The #Cowboys and standout TE Jake Ferguson have agreed to terms on a 4-year extension worth $52M in new money with $30M total guaranteed,” Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “Ferguson gets a $12M signing bonus. Dallas takes care of a young star.”
Ferguson had a Pro Bowl season in 2023 with 71 receptions for 761 yards and 5 touchdowns then followed that with 59 receptions for 494 yards and no touchdowns while missing 3 games due to injury.
The fourth round pick out of Wisconsin was headed into the final season of his 4-year, $4.36 million rookie contract.
No Guarantee Ferguson Would Get Paid in Offseason
Ferguson’s new contract comes as somewhat of a surprise after his underwhelming performance in 2024 — although the Cowboys seem to have taken into account that starting quarterback Dak Prescott wasn’t there to dish out the rock for the last 9 games of the year.
“We’ve seen (Ferguson) skyrocket from a small contributor in his rookie year to a Pro Bowler in his sophomore season,” Inside the Star’s Mark Heaney wrote on May 18. “Unfortunately, that success didn’t carry over to 2024, and it could be the reason Dallas lets him walk next offseason … We all know the Cowboys limit their spending, and it just seems like he’s on pace to be the odd man out when it’s time to talk dollars.”
The smartest move for the Cowboys was to extend Ferguson now. At just 26 years old, the likelihood is Ferguson will get back to how well he played in 2023 sooner than later and if he has another season like he had in 2023 or even comes remotely close, they will have saved between $10 million to $20 million in total value in terms of his contract.
That’s just smart business — unusual for the Cowboys.
Ferguson Could Be NFL’s Best ‘Sleeper’ TE in 2025
One thing Ferguson has going for him is that he’s essentially an afterthought when it comes to elite NFL tight ends.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport might be one of the few left who is still buying stock in Ferguson, putting him as the NFL’s top “Sleeper” tight end in 2025.
“(Ferguson) all but vanished last year — less than 500 receiving yards and (zero) touchdowns in an injury-marred third NFL season,” Davenport wrote on June 26. ” … There’s no question CeeDee Lamb is top dog in the Dallas passing attack — he was sixth in the NFL in targets last year after leading the league in 2023. Dallas also traded for wideout George Pickens in the offseason. But Ferguson topped 100 targets two years back, and it’s not that difficult to imagine him doing so again. Given all the questions at running back, the Cowboys could easily be among the NFL’s most pass-heavy teams in 2025.”
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