Cowboys rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker dealing with minor injury as OTAs wrap

Dallas Cowboys rookie Luke Schoonmaker closed out OTAs with minimal participation on Thursday as reporters spotted the tight end wearing a walking boot. Although he was off to the side for the majority of Thursday’s practice, he was still catching passes from the staff. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Schoonmaker has a case of plantar fasciitis, a minor foot injury.

The Dallas Cowboys selected the Michigan tight end in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the No. 58 pick.

Schoonmaker played four seasons at Michigan, but only two games over his first two years. He had a breakout senior season that put him on the map for the Cowboys.

Last season, Schoonmaker had 35 catches, 418 yards, three touchdowns and 11.9 yards per catch. Over the course of his career, he accumulated 54 catches, 637 yards, and seven touchdowns.

Schoonmaker helped the Michigan Wolverines win back-to-back Big Ten titles and make the College Football Playoff two years in a row.

The rookie is one part of the Cowboys’ four-man tight end stable. Although perhaps no single tight end will make up for Dalton Schultz‘s production over the last two seasons, it seems Dallas hopes the “Four Horsemen” can get the job done. Schultz had 577 receiving yards last season, down from 808 in 2021.

Cowboys’ ‘Four Horsemen’ have big expectations

Returning tight end Jake Ferguson opened up about how close the position group has become, even with the new addition.

“Our tight end room right now is so close knit,” Ferguson said on Thursday, via DallasCowboys.com. “We go in there and laugh and joke, if we have time, and once it’s time to get down to business — it’s something that goes back to the Big Ten. You know when to let go and be yourself but, at the same time, you know when you’ve gotta lock it in. … Big, big expectations from the [Four Horsemen] this year. I can’t give too much insight, but [we’re] coming.

“We’re letting ’em out of the stable this year.”

Head coach and new play-caller Mike McCarthy is planning to lean even more on the run game this season, which means the tight ends will be as important as ever.

Last season, Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot combined for 30 receptions and 277 yards with four scores while backing up Schultz. The fourth tight end, Sean McKeon, is another Michigan product. He played in 13 games last season, catching two passes for 11 yards.