Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker suffers another injury setback, misses practice

Dallas Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker, the team's 2023 second-round pick, is missing OTA workouts with an injury for the second consecutive year.

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After losing Dalton Schultz in the 2023 off-season, the Dallas Cowboys looked to strengthen their tight end corps in the draft.

The Cowboys selected Luke Schoonmaker in the second round, but did the Cowboys make the mistake of drafting a tight end too early?

In Luke Schoonmaker's rookie season, he had just eight receptions, 65 yards, and two touchdowns. Tight ends rarely put up significant numbers in their rookie season; however, his lack of production had more to do with Jake Ferguson's emergence as one of the best young tight ends in the NFL.

Heading into year two, Schoonmaker is nursing a hamstring injury and will not be partaking in the team's OTAs, while also in the process of recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

RELATED: Cowboys' Jake Ferguson looks to build off of 2023 breakout year

TE Luke Schoonmaker is dealing with a hamstring issue that will keep him off the field in today's OTA. McCarthy said Schoonmaker's rehab from shoulder surgery has gone well.

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) May 22, 2024

This marks Schoonmaker's second offseason with the team, during which he will miss his second OTA period. Previously, he joined Dallas with a plantar fascia injury stemming from college.

The Cowboys' need for tight end was apparent.

However, with Ferguson on the rise and Schoonmaker's injury sustained in college, you can't help but think the second-round selection could have been better utilized on a wide receiver like Marvin Mims or Tank Dell, who were selected just a few picks after Schoonmaker.

RELATED: Examining the Cowboys' tight end depth chart

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

It is too early to give up on Schoonmaker; every Cowboys fan hopes he turns into the player the Cowboys had in mind when drafting him early in the 2023 draft.

The Cowboys' offense often struggled when opposing defenses had an answer for CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson, so Schoonmaker's bounce-back season in year two would make the Cowboys an even bigger threat to score on offense.