[Music] what's up Cowboys Nation welcome back to Cowboys news TV your One-Stop shop for all the latest updates analysis and deep dives into everything happening with our Dallas Cowboys I'm Dave and today we've got a fascinating story developing with our team's offense specifically focusing on a player who might just be one of the most underappreciated assets we've got Hunter Loop Key now before we dive into all the details make sure you subscribe to the channel and hit that notification Bell we're getting closer to 11,000 subscribers and with your support we can hit that goal even faster so if you haven't already subscribe now and help us keep bringing you the best Cowboys content on YouTube all right let's talk about loop key after tight end Jake Ferguson left Sunday's season opener against the Cleveland Browns with a left knee sprain it looked like we might have a serious Gap in our tight end depth chart but according to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and head coach Mike McCarthy that's where lopkey steps in lopkey isn't just your typical fullback he's a versatile player who can fill multiple roles on the field and the coaching staff believes his role is about to get even bigger Hunter Loop Key the Cowboys hidden weapon let's get into the nitty-gritty luk key made the Cowboys roster in 2023 as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State and since then he's been quietly making a name for himself He's listed as a running back but don't let that fool you luk key's been spending most of his time working with the tight ends this hybrid role allows him to be used in a variety of ways including as a lead blocker and inline tight end and even as a pass protector his 6' one 238 lb frame makes him look more like a linebacker than anything else but his ability to shift between positions is what makes him so valuable coach McCarthy said at best hunter is a very flexible player for us and with Ferguson's knee injury putting his status in question for week two against the New Orleans Saints that flexibility is about to become even more crucial now Cowboys Nation here's where we want to hear from you do you think Hunter lopkey is ready to step up and take on an even bigger role in the offense drop your thoughts in the comments below should lopkey be the man to replace Ferguson's blocking duties or should the Cowboys explore other options we're running a poll in our community section so make sure to vote and let your voice be heard the importance of Lop Key's role so why are the Cowboys so high on luk key it all comes down to his versatility while he may not have the same pass catching prowess as Ferguson let's be honest luk ke finish finished last season with just five catches for 36 yards his blocking ability is what really sets him apart offensive coordinator Brian shaten Heimer praised luky for his ability to make crucial blocks in the running game and that's exactly what the Cowboys need if Ferguson is sidelined for any period of time this guy is a steal shaten Heimer said emphasizing that Liu Key's physicality and love for contact make him a perfect fit for the Cowboys offense during Sunday's game against the Browns luky made a key block on a running play that he hadn't even practiced beforehand this level of adaptability is what has the Cowboys coaching staff so excited about his potential moving forward and with that let's throw it back to you Cowboys Nation how important do you think a player like lopkey is for the success of the offense do you think his blocking ability will help fill the Gap left by Ferguson's injury let us know in the comments and don't forget to share this video with your fellow Cowboys fans so we can keep the discussion going what's next for the Cowboys tight ends of course lopkey isn't the only option at tight end the Cowboys still have Luke Schoonmaker Bren span forward and John Stevens Jr but none of them have proven themselves at the NFL level just yet this is why McCarthy and shaten Heimer are so keen on leaning into luky's abilities he's got 17 career games under his belt and his experience even as a hybrid player gives him a leg up on the competition that said it's clear the Cowboys are going to need a plan in place whether Ferguson returns for week two or not and that plan according to McCarthy will likely feature a lot more of Hunter Loop Key but let's talk strategy for a minute if Ferguson's injury keeps him off the field how do you think the Cowboys should handle the tight end situation should they give lopkey more snaps as a blocker or should we look at one of the other tight end on the roster to step up we want to know what you think Cowboys Nation cast your vote in our poll and as always drop your predictions in the comments a quick recovery for Jake Ferguson now the good news is that Ferguson's MRI showed no significant damage and there's still a chance he could suit up against the Saints according to McCarthy Ferguson will be part of the return to play group at practice on Wednesday which gives us hope that he'll be back sooner rather than later ler but even with this optimistic Outlook the Cowboys are preparing for the worst case scenario hence the increased focus on luk key Ferguson is a key piece of the Cowboys offense last season he racked up 761 receiving yards finishing second on the team in that category if he's unable to go in week two his absence will definitely be felt but with luky stepping up McCarthy and shaten Heimer are confident that the offense won't miss a Beat before we move on here's a quick reminder to subscribe to Cowboys news TV if you haven't already we're closing in on 11,000 subscribers and we need your help to get there so hit that subscribe button and ring the notification Bell so you never miss any of our Cowboys content your support means everything to us final thoughts is Hunter Lop key ready for a bigger role as we get closer to the Cowboys week 2 matchup against the Saints All Eyes will be on Hunter loopy will he take on a larger role in the offense and more importantly will he be able to fill the void left by Jake Ferguson if the tight end can't play it's a lot of pressure for an undrafted free agent but if anyone is up for the challenge it's luk key he's already shown that he can adapt on the Fly and his versatility makes him a valuable asset in McCarthy's system Cowboys Nation we're excited to see what lopkey can do with more opportunities and we want to hear your thoughts do you think loop key is ready to take on a bigger role share your opinions in the comments and let's keep the conversation going and finally if you enjoyed this video make sure to give it a thumbs up and share it with your friends your engagement helps us continue bringing you the best Cowboys content on YouTube thanks for watching Cowboys Nation we'll be keeping an eye on this story and bringing you all the latest updates as they happen until next time stay safe stay strong and as always go Cowboys [Music]