The Dallas Cowboys are building their undrafted free agency rookie class and still have a handful of roster spots to fill to reach 90 players as of Sunday afternoon.
But one name in particular stands out among their post-draft signings: Tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford.
The Cowboys showed how much they love the prospect out of Minnesota by paying him big-time money.
Per Michael Gehlken from Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys signed Spann-Ford to a guaranteed salary of $225,000 with a $20,000 signing bonus on top of it. The $245,000 guaranteed money number is one of the highest around the NFL we've seen so far.
Within the Cowboys organization, it's easy to see it's an expensive signing. Last year, the front office opened the wallet to land FB Hunter Luepke ($220K) and OL Earl Bostick Jr. ($240K).
One year later, Spann-Ford exceeds both of those numbers, a clear indication that the team genuinely believe he can be an NFL player.
Could Brevyn Spann-Ford make the 53-man roster in 2024?
The money is never a guarantee to make the team, just like the two above examples from last year suggest. Luepke made the cut while Bostick Jr. will be fighting to make his NFL debut this year.
It will be a challenge for Spann-Ford to make the cut as the tight end room will feature a fierce competition. Spearheaded by Jake Ferguson, the unit has Peyton Hendershot, Luke Schoonmaker, and John Stephens Jr., who would've made last year's 53-man roster had it not been for a preseason injury that landed him on Injured Reserve.
That's without getting into Princeton Fant and new UDFA Alec Holler.
But that doesn't mean Spann-Ford can't shock the world. Just read The Athletic's Dane Brugler's evaluation of the tight end: "(He) must improve his consistency - especially in the red zone - for him to stay on an NFL field, but he is a smooth athlete with the body flexibility and toughness that translates to the pro game. He will interest NFL teams looking for a promising Y-tight end prospect with rotational upside."
Brevyn Spann-Ford Scouting Report from A to Z Sports Film Room's James Foster
Strengths:
- Enormous, well-proportioned frame
- Has flashes of dominance as a run blocker
- Rolls hips into contact & sustains blocks through the whistle
- Drives DBs to the sideline & parts the sea on tunnel screens
- Has the catch radius to be a mismatch in the red zone
- Decent speed to separate from LBs
Weaknesses:
- Middling athletic traits
- Cannot be trusted to catch the football. Dropped 26.5% of his targets in 2023
- Struggles to power through redirection at the stem
- Upright & cumbersome route runner
- Waits for contact & catches blocks in pass pro
- Needs to slide his feet & stay centered to pass blocking assignments
- Will overshoot angles as a move blocker
- Relies on length & lunges into 2nd level blocks
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