Cowboys Urged To Trade Struggling Tight End

Cowboys Urged To Trade Struggling Tight End originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Dallas Cowboys underwent some considerable offensive personnel changes throughout the offseason. Starting at the Cowboys parted ways with head coach and play caller Mike McCarthy and promoted Brian Schottenheimer to that seat.
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They turned around and addressed some glaring holes on the roster. The trade for wide receiver George Pickens remains the most notable of these, but Dallas also installed rookie Tyler Booker at right guard and brought in an entirely new backfield comprised of rookies and veterans.
Dak Prescott remains QB1 though they pursued and acquired Joe Milton III to serve as his new backup. All areas of the offense had some sort of makeover or overhaul besides the tight end position.
It appears Jake Ferguson will headline this group once again with Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford slotting in behind him. But could the Cowboys offload one of those players to clear the way for another?
Spann-Ford has been gaining momentum this offseason and has Schottenheimer believing in a big jump next season as he detailed in his press conference last week.
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"This guy is not just a run blocker and a pass protector. This guy can be a weapon because of his size in the middle of the field, matched up on linebackers and safeties... He's already made the jump."
For that reason K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire has urged the Cowboys to explore a trade for Schoonmaker.
"For the Cowboys, the trades have all been about bringing in young talent, but perhaps it's time they consider cashing out on a drafted prospect the same way other teams have. The Cowboys should heavily consider seeing if there's a trade market for tight end Luke Schoonmaker."
Schoonmaker has not lived up to the billing of a second-round pick. Despite that draft value, is there really a reason to send him away?
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The idea of trading a low-usage player to add some draft capital sounds good in theory. But there really is no market for him out there.
Schoonmaker may not be a No. 1 option and perhaps Spann-Ford surpasses him at training camp later this summer. At the same time, tight end depth has provides value in the form of insurance if Ferguson gets injured and misses time.
Dallas needs the supporting cast pieces able to do some of the dirty work or step in when their number's called. Schoonmaker may be penciled into that spot next season but it does not mean the Cowboys need to find an off ramp.
Related: Ex Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer Scores Unexpected Prize
Related: George Pickens Is '99.9 Percent Perfect' Move To Cowboys Optimism
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

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New York Times

13 minutes ago

• New York Times

Hurricanes need a second-line center. Here are some free-agent and trade options

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One way they could do that is on defense, where the team could pursue a new partner for Jaccob Slavin, but the Hurricanes' biggest need is a second-line center. Given the available cap space, a surplus of draft picks and prospects, and a mostly full lineup card, Tulsky and the Hurricanes have several routes they can use to improve down the middle. The second-line center role was occupied mainly by Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jack Roslovic last season. Neither was good enough to be in that slot on a Cup team. Roslovic scored 22 goals — 12 of them in the first 20 games of the season — but was often unnoticeable and a defensive liability. He's a UFA, and his return is unlikely. Kotkaniemi has been given chance after chance to seize that spot, but he's scored 12 goals in three of the last four seasons and has eclipsed 35 points just once (his 18-goal, 43-point 2022-23 campaign). Ideally, he'd be centering the third line, but Jordan Staal has that job locked down for two more seasons. If the Hurricanes pursue and land Mitch Marner, they will be overloaded at right wing. Jackson Blake will stay on the wing, but Seth Jarvis and Logan Stankoven both have the ability to move to the middle. Stankoven has proven to be a great fit in Carolina, but at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, using him at 2C isn't realistic. Jarvis isn't much bigger (5-10, 184 pounds), but moving him to the middle is a possibility I've mentioned before. Advertisement Having two smallish centers on the top two lines — Sebastian Aho is listed at 6 feet, 180 pounds — wouldn't be ideal, but Jarvis has become a defensive standout (12th in Selke Trophy voting last season, eighth the year before) and has back-to-back 30-goal seasons despite an ongoing shoulder injury. All these solutions, however, feel more like rearranging deck chairs rather than positioning the Hurricanes closer to their championship goal. 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While the Canucks seemingly picked Pettersson over J.T. Miller in the spat between the two players, dealing the latter to the New York Rangers last season, there are still questions about Pettersson's future in the Pacific Northwest. And the Hurricanes have poked around the 26-year-old in the past. Pettersson checks several boxes. He has superstar potential, including a 100-point season on his resume. While slight — he's listed at 176 pounds — he'd give Carolina more length down the middle at 6-2. He also might benefit from the quieter atmosphere in Raleigh. Advertisement Any trade for the Swede — who has five years left on a contract that costs $11.6 million against the cap annually — would be a blockbuster. The return for Vancouver would probably look something like what the Sabres received when they traded Jack Eichel to Vegas — two NHL players (probably at least one young and emerging one) and a first-round pick. All of that said, the Canucks seem to want to give Pettersson — another lefty, by the way — another chance to right the ship next season with Adam Foote now running the bench and the Miller debacle fully in the rear-view mirror. Miller's name has also come again, not even five months from his trade to the Rangers. Carolina also expressed interest in him during the fallout in Vancouver, but New York — like the Canucks — is probably content to see how new coach Mike Sullivan can piece together a lineup that underachieved last season. Should the left-handed Miller again be on the block, he has five years at $8 million remaining on his contract, and the Rangers would want to recoup at least some of the assets they lost (Filip Chytil, a prospect and a conditional first) in any trade. Teammate Mika Zibanejad's name has also come up in trade talks. The 32-year-old was a 90-point player two years ago but dipped to 20 goals and 62 points last season. That's not a good sign for a 32-year-old player with five years remaining at $8.5 million. Still, Zibanejad fits the Hurricanes' mold. He can play in all situations, would add size in the middle and is a coveted right-handed pivot. A trade in the division seems unlikely, though, and there are several aforementioned red flags. The Islanders seem content to keep both Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau — who could be on the block with one year at $5 million left on his contract — would just give Carolina another third-liner. Utah's Nick Schmaltz (one year, $5.85 million) also seems like a fringe option. Advertisement Here are a few other off-the-radar options to keep in mind: • Vegas is apparently interested in Marner. That would require the Golden Knights to move out money, especially considering Eichel has just a year left on his contract. Could Tomas Hertl be on the move in Vegas? 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Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 80

Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 80 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Thursday means just 80 days remain before the New Orleans Saints host the Arizona Cardinals in their 2025-26 regular season opener. Advertisement The Saints will be embarking on their 59th NFL season. They'll be doing so with a new head coach in Kellen Moore after the team's 5-12 finish a year ago. Rookie tight end Moliki Matavao will be wearing number 80 for New Orleans going into training camp next month. Out of UCLA, Matavao was the first of two choices in Round 7 by the Saints in this year's draft. If he makes the roster and keeps his current number, Matavao would become the 33rd player to wear No. 80 for the Saints in a regular season game. Here's a look through the list of other players that have done so. Saints History of 80 Jan 14, 2012; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) sprints for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the 2011 NFC divisional playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images • Jim Garcia, DE (1967) Advertisement • Richard Neal, DE (1969) • Mike Walker, DE (1971) • Doug Winslow, WR (1973) • Earl McCullouch, WR (1974) • Sam Havrilak, WR (1974) • Larry Burton, WR (1975-77) Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Larry Burton (80). Credit: • Gordon Banks, WR (1980-81) • Lindsay Scott, WR (1982-85) • Mike Miller, WR (1985) • Malcolm Barnwell, WR (1985) • Herbert Harris, WR (1986-87) • Stacey Dawsey, WR (1987) • Brett Perriman, WR (1988-90) • Wesley Carroll, WR (1991-92) • Marcus Dowdell, WR (1993) • Tyrone Johnson, WR (1994) • Haywood Jeffires, WR (1996) • Daryl Hobbs, WR (1997) • Tony Johnson, TE (1998) • P.J. Franklin, WR (1999) • Robert Wilson, WR (2000-01) • Jerome Pathon, WR (2002-04) • Chad Meier, TE (2005) Advertisement • Mark Campbell, TE (2006-08) • Darnell Dinkins, TE (2009) • Jimmy Graham, TE (2010-14, 2023) • Austin Carr, WR (2017-20) • Chris Hogan, WR (2021) • Kawaan Baker, WR (2021) • Jarvis Landry, WR (2022) • Jermaine Jackson, WR (2024) • Moliki Matavao, TE (present) Dec 12, 1982; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints receiver Lindsay Scott (80) catches a pass against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images Jim Garcia was the first to wear number 80 for New Orleans, doing so in the team's inaugural season for 12 games and recording one sack. Richard Neal followed as a second round draft choice in 1969. Neal was with the Saints for five years of his career, wearing three different numbers and only number 80 during his rookie year. Six different players wore the 80 jersey between 1967 and 1975, with none wearing it for more than a year. That changed with WR Larry Burton, a first-round pick and seventh overall choice out of Purdue in 1975. Burton was also a world-class sprinter who finished fourth in the 200m (20.37) at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and once held the world record (5.9 seconds) in the 60m sprint. Advertisement As a football player, Burton wasn't nearly as successful and goes down as one of the biggest draft busts in New Orleans history. In three years with the Saints, he suited up in 28 games and caught just 35 passes for 615 yards and 4 touchdowns. 1989 Topps football card of New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brett Perriman (80). Credit: ebay Less than a year after trading productive wideout Wes Chandler, the Saints tried to replace him with Lindsay Scott, the 13th overall choice in the 1982 NFL Draft. Scott would instead take a place alongside Burton as one of the biggest draft busts in the franchise's history. In four seasons with the Saints, Scott played in 49 games and made only 22 starts. He had just 69 receptions for 864 yards and only 1 touchdown. Scott was out of football altogether after those four years. Advertisement From 1967 to 1987, there were 13 players that suited up in a number 80 for New Orleans. Only the disappointments of Burton and Scott played the equivalent of more than one year in the jersey. New Orleans hoped to break that string with the drafting of two productive Miami Hurricanes wide receivers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first of those Hurricanes stars was WR Brett Perriman in 1988. Perriman played 46 games for New Orleans over three seasons. Over than span, however, he managed a somewhat pedestrian total of 72 receptions for 953 yards and 4 touchdowns. After leaving the Saints, Perriman's production would skyrocket in the run-and-shoot attack of the Detroit Lions. Nov 3, 1991; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints receiver Wesley Carroll (80) fights for a pass against the Los Angeles Rams. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK The second Hurricanes star was Wesley Carroll, drafted after Perriman departed in 1991. Carroll had similar results. He'd play 28 games for the Saints over two years, catching 36 passes for 476 yards with 3 touchdowns. By 1994, Carroll was out of the NFL. Advertisement After Carroll left, the Saints saw 11 different players suit up in number 80 over a 17-year span between 1993 and 2009. Only wideout Jerome Pathon had any reasonable success. Pathon had 121 receptions for 1,682 yards and 9 touchdowns in a three-year stretch between 2006 and 2008. He and tight end Mark Campbell were also the only two players who managed to stay with the Saints for more than two years over that 17-year span. The 2010 NFL Draft brought not just the best number 80 in franchise history but one of its best offensive players and one of the most gifted tight ends in NFL history. Nov 21, 2013; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) breaks a tackle against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Jimmy Graham's 2010 rookie season was one of promise with 5 touchdown catches in 31 receptions. What followed was one of the most productive stretches in the history of the franchise. Advertisement Graham caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 scores in 2011. He followed that up with 85 receptions, 982 yards, and 9 touchdowns in 2012. The 2013 campaign saw him pull in 86 passes for 1,215 yards and an NFL-best 16 scores. In 2014, Graham had 85 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. New Orleans traded Graham to the Seattle Seahawks during the 2014 offseason in a controversial move. After nine years and three different teams, Graham would return to the Saints in 2023 with 4 touchdowns on his six receptions. Nov 3, 2013; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) dunks the ball over the goal post after a touchdown against the New York Jets. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Graham was with the Saints for a total of six years and 91 games, far more than anyone else who has worn No. 80 for the team. Over that stretch, he had 392 receptions for 4,791 yards and 55 touchdowns. Advertisement Jimmy Graham is second in franchise history in touchdown receptions and sixth for both career catches and receiving yardage. He holds the team's single-season record for scoring receptions and no one other than Michael Thomas has more receptions in a season. Since Graham's original departure in 2014, six different players have worn 80 but only Austin Carr for more than one year. Only Jarvis Landry showed flashes of production. Now, Moliki Matavao takes his turn in 80. Related: Saints Sign Another Player To Their Tight End Position Related: Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 82 Related: Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 84 Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 87 Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 89 Related: Derek Carr Further Explains Retirement Decision From New Orleans Saints This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.