The Dallas Cowboys will reportedly take advantage of the NFL’s franchise tag on Tuesday and use it on breakout tight end Dalton Schultz, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Schultz has been with the Cowboys for four seasons, and over the past two has become a favorite target for quarterback Dak Prescott. The Cowboys and Schultz are working towards a long-term deal.
Cowboys franchise tag Dalton Schultz
The Cowboys couldn’t come to a long-term deal with Schultz before the tag deadline, and they couldn’t let him hit the open market. He would have been highly sought after as a do-it-all tight end.
The Cowboys are already in a sticky situation. They will reportedly move on from star receiver Amari Cooper to alleviate salary cap concerns. With Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson also hitting the open market, the Cowboys were cornered into using the tag on one of their playmakers.
The tag would make the most sense on Schultz, given the cap hit for the position is only $10.931 million.
Should the Cowboys work on a long-term deal for Schultz?
Schultz is a productive outlet over the middle for Prescott, but he doesn’t offer much after the catch, and he actually regressed as a blocker over the past season. He was never much of a physical presence as an in-line tight end, but his technique waned as an in-line blocker in 2021.
However, fans often undervalue Schultz’s ability as a route runner. He’s agile for his size, and he’s become very adept at finding soft spots against zone coverage while separating using his frame against man coverage.
A long-term deal around the franchise tag number might be a bit more expensive than Cowboys fans are comfortable with for what they feel is a replaceable tight end. But the reality is (much like at quarterback) there aren’t 32 starting-level players at the position.
Does the tag mean the Cowboys can’t target TE in the draft?
No, and the Cowboys should target the position as early as Day 2. The 2022 tight end class is talented and diverse. Although the position usually has a longer learning curve, drafting one in 2022 would provide a season-long buffer as the second TE on the roster, or even the third behind Sean McKeon, who heads into Year 3 with the team.