Cowboys TE Roster Battle: Hendershot vs. Stephens Jr.
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys fell in their first exhibition contest of the preseason to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Does that matter? Nope. What does matter? Position battles.
And those position battles will continue as America's Team travels to Washington to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Game 2 of the exhibition season. And those position battles will continue with assertiveness at many positions.
The tight end room is an interesting one for the Cowboys before the start of the regular season. Jake Ferguson, Dallas' fourth-round draft pick from a year ago is the presumed starter and has shown flashes of brilliance this offseason.
Behind Ferguson is where the discussion gets interesting.
Luke Schoonmaner, the Michigan product and Cowboys second-round pick this year missed time early in training camp with an injury, but it's hoped he can assume the role of TE2.
Peyton Hendershot, the undrafted free agent from Indiana that the Cowboys signed post-draft last year, impressed last season. Entering training camp, his name was associated with the TE3 label. But as the offseason often goes, things change.
Hendershot could be in danger of losing that TE3 title to another up-and-comer, just as Hendershot himself was in 2022. John Stephens Jr., a 6-5, 232-pound former Rajun Cajun from the University of Louisiana is battling with veteran Sean McKeon and Hendershot for the third roster spot at tight end.
Stephens Jr. has shown flashes in camp and impressed many against the Jaguars with a team-high five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.
What makes Stephens' story even more interesting, is the fact that he played wide receiver in college. He's made the transition smoothly to tight end in Cowboys camp, utilizing his size and athleticism to become a weapon in one game in the preseason.
Can he take Hendershot's spot on the Dallas roster? As young players, both have room for improvement.
Both need to improve their blocking ability to survive at tight end, and both are widely regarded as having the ability to do so.
If Stephens can match the passion and vigor that Hendershot has shown in the past, he could have a real shot at a roster position in September.
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