Cowboys TE Is Already on the Chopping Block Ahead of Training Camp

The Dallas Cowboys will report to Oxnard, California, on July 21 for training camp to officially kick off the Brian Schottenheimer era.

They've made changes to both sides of the ball and look to redeem themselves after a disappointing 7-10 campaign.

Guys will need to impress the coaching staff to solidify their spot on the 53-man roster.

That said, one tight end who needs to step up, or risk being cut by the end of the summer, is John Stephens Jr.

John Stephens Jr. Is on Thin Ice for Cowboys

Stephens joined Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after playing at WR during his college career at TCU and Louisiana. Despite being on the team for the last couple of years, he's suffered two torn ACLs, ending both his 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

The Cowboys have kept him signed while he rehabbed, but things aren't looking good this time around.

Dallas has Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, and Brevyn Spann-Ford ahead of him on the depth chart.

The biggest winner of the offseason so far is Spann-Ford, who received some first-team reps in minicamp before going back to the second and third team.

They also used a 2023 second-round pick on Schoonmaker, and the front office has high hopes for him, considering they used a top-60 asset to draft him. As for Ferguson, he's the clear starter going in 2025 and has shown he can be a reliable outlet in the passing attack. These three pass catchers have traits and tools that Dallas believes can blossom.

Meanwhile, Stephens Jr. is coming off two major knee injuries, and the coaching staff who brought him in is no longer around. He's starting from scratch and is behind the eight ball.

In his college career, he reeled in 41 catches for 665 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot-5, he has the size to be a good red-zone target.

Despite having the size that could make him an appealing target, he's No. 4 on the depth chart. The three guys ahead of him with NFL experience have shown the team enough to keep them excited.

The same can't be said for Stephens Jr., making him a massive question mark going into training camp.