FRISCO, Texas — Jake Ferguson is a happy man going into this year's offseason program, for a couple of reasons. The first is the fact tight ends coach Lunda Wells opted to re-sign with the Dallas Cowboys on a multi-year deal, after being courted by other clubs, he and Ferguson remaining united as they try to help the offense set the right tone in Year 1 of the Brian Schottenheimer era.
That other reason is a much simpler one: Ferguson is fully healthy.
The Pro Bowl tight end followed up his award-winning season in 2023 with what was unfortunately one filled with more valleys than peaks. Ferguson not only combatted injury on more than one occasion — i.e., concussion, knee — that cost him games, but he was also unable to find a consistent chemistry with backup quarterback Cooper Rush who, for his own part, had one of his worst seasons as a Cowboys' quarterback.
Ferguson isn't using that, or anything else, as an easy out, though.
"Yeah, I mean, even if I didn't [have Dak Prescott], that's not an excuse," he said. "I mean, if I'm out there, I gotta be producing and playing my best ball. And, if I'm not, I'm hurting the team, so, in my eyes, if I'm playing, I'm 100%."
It's a year of promise and positive change for the 26-year-old former fourth-round pick.
On one hand, literally speaking, Ferguson became engaged this offseason and, on the other hand, he's walking into an offense now led by Brian Schottenheimer, the head coach version, along with Klayton Adams joining the Cowboys as the team's offensive coordinator.
And Ferguson's plan going into what will be the most pivotal year of his young NFL career?
"Yeah, I think it's almost like every other year, maybe a little bit more, but I know what it takes," Ferguson said. " I was [in the] Pro Bowl one year and, last year, not the year that I wanted to have. Just going through, going back and reassessing myself after this season, just knowing what it's gonna take. I'm cutting out some of the bad things in my life —whether it be food, whatever it may be — and I am really locking in with Dak and making sure I'm keying on all the offensive keys with the new coaching staff.
"I'm just making sure that turnover is seamless."
Schottenheimer's goal is the same, and the buy-in has been immediate from the entirety of the locker room to this point. Despite the sweeping changes within the coaching staff and the fact it is Schottenheimer's first year as a head coach, there's an air about him that permeates your defenses and incessantly reminds you that he is not only a bright football mind bred under the tutelage of the legendary Marty Schottenheimer.
He's also a leader of men, an adorer of the game and a coach who relates to his players in a way not many coaches can tout.
"it's all about relationships. and you know. I don't think I've ever had a head coach come down and every single time I'm in the cold tub, he'll be talking to me," Ferguson said of his early impressions of Schottenheimer the head coach. "To me, personally, just the first couple days of him being named, that's what he was doing, and that meant a lot. You can tell he loves the game of football and he loves the guys he coaches.
"To me, that's something I can easily buy into. Personally, I'm just really excited and I'm happy as h-e-double hockey sticks to go in there every single day."
All will be revealed in the near future regarding the ripple effects of Schottenheimer's approach, of Prescott's and Ferguson's health and, for the lattter, tweaks to his offseason training regimen with the goal of returning to Pro Bowl prominence, if not higher heights. At least for now, the train is heading in the right direction.
All aboard.
