The third and final tight end thought to be receiving the franchise tag this offseason has indeed been franchised. Dalton Schultz will be staying in Dallas for at least one more campaign (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).
Not long before today’s deadline, the 25-year-old was seen as one of the team’s top tag candidates – the other being defensive end Randy Gregory. Not surprisingly, it is the former being franchised at a cost of $10.93MM. In the last two seasons, Schultz has emerged as one of quarterback Dak Prescott‘s favorite and most dependable targets. He had a career year in 2021, posting 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns.
Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo adds that the Cowboys have been eyeing a long-term deal with the former fourth rounder, and were hopeful it could have gotten done before today’s tag deadline (Twitter link). Instead, the team will at least tempoariliy work with a figure just under $11MM for one of the few known commodities in their pass-catching corps, given the expected release of Amari Cooper and the ongoing talks with Michael Gallup. Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News tweets that there is still “strong interest” from both team and player to get an extension done, which would likely lower is 2021 cap hit.
As for Gregory, free agency has now become all-but guaranteed. However, the Cowboys have made it clear they wish to retain the edge rusher, given the highly productive trio he formed in 2021 alongside DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons. In any event, the team’s passing attack will be retaining one of its most important pieces.
In a world where Jonnu Smith got $31 million in guarantees and the franchise tag is under $11 mil, these are easy decisions.