After showing up for the previous round of Cowboys OTAs, Dalton Schultz intends to skip this week’s conclusion of the team’s voluntary offseason program. The extension talks are not proceeding to the franchise-tagged tight end’s liking, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The tight end position has shifted into focus this offseason, this coming as wide receivers’ salaries are skyrocketing. David Njoku‘s $14.2MM-per-year Browns extension will affect the other two tagged tight ends — Schultz and Miami’s Mike Gesicki — and Dallas’ talks with Schultz had not exactly oozed progress entering the summer.
[RELATED: Schultz Seeking Long-Term Stay With Cowboys]
The Cowboys gave Blake Jarwin a four-year, $22MM deal in 2020 — when the team let the unretired Jason Witten walk in free agency — but Jarwin’s injury trouble changed the team’s plans again at the position. Schultz ended up becoming the team’s true Witten heir apparent. He stepped in to start 14 games in place of Jarwin in 2020, hauling in 63 passes for 615 yards and four touchdowns. Schultz’s 2021 encore — 78 receptions, 808 yards, eight TDs — led to the Cowboys slapping the $10.9MM tag on him.
Schultz, 25, has already signed his franchise tender. That locks him into the $10.9MM salary while also allowing the Cowboys to fine him for missing minicamp later this month. Given the sizable salary raise Schultz booked in March, it would seem a minicamp absence would be a legitimate course of action. Waging a training camp holdout is a costlier call, but there will be a resolution by that time.
No Schultz extension by July 15 ensures he plays a season on the tag. The Cowboys have seen this scenario play out recently, on a much higher-profile level, when Dak Prescott failed to come to terms on a deal before the 2020 tag deadline. Schultz’s $10.9MM cap figure would not rival Prescott’s 2020 price, and the team may be keen to rent Schultz for a season before determining if a big-ticket tight end deal is worthwhile.
Dallas has committed to Michael Gallup as its No. 2 wide receiver this year, via an $11.5MM-AAV deal in March, and has CeeDee Lamb on his rookie contract. The team can put off a Lamb extension until 2024, if necessary, due to the fifth-year option. The Cowboys have $22MM-plus in cap space, with their La’el Collins cut generating post-June 1 funding, but may be skittish on paying Schultz top-five tight end money. Njoku became the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid tight end, but Schultz’s 2021 showing is statistically superior to any of Njoku’s five seasons. This will almost certainly be an issue for the Cowboys and Dolphins, who have seen Gesicki top Njoku’s best work twice, and create intrigue in other tight end negotiations — likely Darren Waller‘s as well — in the near future.
Crying about his 10.9 million dollar salary… No violins and no sympathy.. You signed the paperwork, now play!
That’s not at all how this works. Dallas franchise tagged him and the parties are now negotiating an extension. It’s Schultz’s right to hold-out if he does not feel negotiations are being made in good faith, just as Dallas has the right not to offer him an extension
While the article doesn’t expressly say it, if he is still on his original 5 year rookie contract, he actually has no such “right” to hold out as he is still under contract while seeking a new one which Dallas has failed in coming to terms with him on….If I’m wrong and he’s not still on his initial 5 year deal, stop reading…. Choosing not to show up puts Dallas in the position of fining him for his absence, prohibit him from showing up at team facilities, and potentially forcing him to find a new team for his services…..which frankly as Giants fan would love to see as he really hurt the G-Men in the 2 head to head games last season.
Everyone has a “right” to hold out. It may not work, and there may be situations where it is a more favorable choice than others, but anyone can make that decision if they want.
My point was that there isn’t a whole lot of “negotiating” that takes place when one signs a rookie contract
I thought the 5th year was only on 1st round selections?
It is. The franchise tag got confused with the 5th year option. You can technically argue that one on a rookie contract is vulnerable to being franchise tagged, but I really don’t perceive that as being part of the original contract, as OP claimed
He was drafted in the 4th round. No fifth year here. He was a FA and DAL franchise tagged him. No need to stop reading, opinions and chatter are welcome here.
They can’t fine him for skipping a voluntary workout. Words have meanings.
Not correct…
Then why don’t you explain yourself instead of demanding that athletes shut up and play
Congrats, you have completely misunderstood what’s going on.
Njoku’s salary is a joke. He’s a flash in the pan TE.
Agreed….what ever possessed the Browns to re-set the market for TE’s and shell out that kind of money for a very average skill player amazes us all.
Cleveland Browns ruin another position salary table by overpaying in guaranteed money and AAV.
Njoku only got $17 million guaranteed. That’s not exactly staggering for a guy who was already franchised at most of that for one year.
Oh come on CeeDee plays wide receiver. They don’t have to play out rookie contracts. He’ll force a raise.
Bye bye son.
As alternative employment, Dalton has a standing offer (at a slight reduction in compensation) from the United States Army to begin a multiple year service agreement as…………
SERGEANT SCHULTZ !!
This guy is one of the only reasons the niners didn’t blow them out of their own house
Trade him while his value is high. He can’t block and he’s slow.
Cut him and move on.
Just a twist on the usual Jones family of twists! They play Schultz on the tag, play 12 personnel, grow Ferguson as that TE2 and then negotiate in next years off season?
DAL will balance the offense with the other options available also demanding catches, thus less production from Schultz reducing his appearance of value to the team? Then pay him or let him loose in 2023?
When your CLE you set the market because their roster is thinner. DAL has Lamb, Gallup, Tolbert, Schultz, Ferguson, Elliott and Pollard and there’s more in the hopper. Why pay 15 million to top the TE market when you don’t have to? If they dumped Cooper for a song, Schultz doesn’t have much bargaining power here.