Jake Ferguson injury update: Stephen Jones reveals expected status for Cowboys TE in Week 3

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson didn’t play in the team’s 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday due to an MCL sprain he suffered in Week 1. On Monday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones stated Ferguson was “real close” to playing yesterday and is expected to play in Week 3, per Jon Machota on The Athletic.

Ferguson’s absence was painfully obvious against the Saints. In the loss, quarterback Dak Prescott only threw one touchdown while tossing two interceptions. For reference, Ferguson was Prescott’s second-most targeted receiver last season, only trailing CeeDee Lamb.

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Ferguson, 25, left the Cowboys’ 33-17 win over the Cleveland Browns with 6:23 remaining in the third quarter. He did not return and finished the game with three receptions for 15 yards. Ferguson was a non-participant in practice this past week.

More on Jake Ferguson’s injury

On Wednesday, Ferguson revealed he initially thought he’d torn his ACL when he went down against the Browns.

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“Yeah, I think my only thought was ACL, and if my ACL’s good, I’m fine,” Ferguson said. “There’s some stuff you can play through. And I’m one of those guys who if I can play through it, I’m going to go. But at the same time, if I can’t give this team my best and I can’t live up to the standard, and play at that standard that we hold, then there’s no point in me hurting the team.

“If I go out there and I’m working with the trainers on stuff and it doesn’t feel right or I can’t do one thing or the other that is going to lead to me not being able to do my job, then it’s going to probably be a no-go. But if it’s all good and I’m feeling great, then I’m not going to be the one who pulls back.”

Ferguson is coming off a breakout season in 2023. Replacing Dalton Schultz as the team’s starting tight end, Ferguson made 71 catches for 761 yards and five touchdowns. He earned his first career Pro Bowl nod.

The Cowboys will need Ferguson to return to the gridiron as soon as possible. On Sunday, they will square off against the Baltimore Ravens at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Ravens will be hungry for a win after starting their season with back-to-back losses. The game will air live on FOX.

On3’s Nick Geddes also contributed to this article.