Jake Ferguson extension a big risk for Cowboys front office that prefers waiting

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It is still wild that Jake Ferguson was the FIRST extension done at training camp.

On Sunday, the Cowboys signed one of their players to a big contract, but not the one we were expecting. Jake Ferguson, who was entering the final year of his rookie deal, signed a four-year deal worth $52 million, making him the sixth-highest paid tight end in the league.

The move came as a little bit of a surprise for a few reasons. For starters, the Cowboys have a lot of impending free agents after this season, with nine expected starters set to play on their final year of their current contract. The biggest name, by far, is Micah Parsons; beyond him, though, are DaRon Bland, Donovan Wilson, Dante Fowler, Brandon Aubrey, and George Pickens, to name a few.