DALLAS — It’s a well-known fact that the upper management for the Dallas Cowboys are tough negotiators. Jerry Jones and son Stephen Jones are at the forefront when it comes to many of the trickiest deals that the organization has attempted to get done recently.
Rarely do big money contracts get doled out without a good deal of negotiating. Just ask Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Ezekiel Elliott, and a host of others about the experience.
The latest case study comes with tight end Dalton Schultz, who saw the franchise tag placed on him by the Cowboys early in the offseason. Since the moment the tag was given, there hasn’t been much momentum to get a long-term deal done.
The league-imposed deadline to get an extension finalized was set for 3:00 pm CST on Friday, a timeline that came and went without a deal. Without an agreement, Schultz will now play under the terms of the tag, which calls for a salary of $10.9 million for 2022, and now no negotiating can be done until after the season.
After a breakout season for Schultz in 2021, it’s understandable that he wants security with a long-term deal. The veteran out of Stanford had the best statistical season for a Dallas tight end since Jason Witten in 2013. Schultz accrued 78 receptions, for 808 yards and eight scores as he took over as the No. 1 TE option with the Cowboys. Even more important, Schultz became a go-to receiver for Prescott in the passing game.
2021 was a beneficial year for both Schultz and the Cowboys, which is why the team placed the tag on him rather than risk losing him to the free agent market.
However, it’s also understandable why the organization is wary of giving out a lucrative deal to Schultz. Despite having some success in 2020, Schultz has only had one complete standout year with the Cowboys which means the onus is on him to prove himself again.
Wanting to see the emerging TE do it again is smart business. Dallas can’t afford to lock up top dollars to a one hit wonder. If Schultz replicates the success, the team may have to pony up to pay for him. If Schultz isn’t as effective in 2022, the Cowboys can move on from him, or sign him to a cheaper deal.
In addition, Schultz might find it harder to duplicate his success without wide receiver Amari Cooper in the lineup. With Cooper, fellow receivers CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, as well as the running game getting most of the attention from defenses last season, Schultz had plenty of opportunities to cash in. That won’t be the case this year; with Cooper gone and Gallup on the mend, Schultz will now be a receiving option that defenses will try to take away from Prescott in the passing game.
The Cowboys could also be trying to give themselves a year to see what they have in fourth-round pick Jake Ferguson. The tight end out of Wisconsin had 145 catches for 1618 yards and 13 scores during his college career. If Ferguson can prove himself a capable option in his rookie season, the Cowboys could decide to let Schultz walk away, promote Ferguson on a rookie contract, and possibly net a compensatory pick for Schultz if he departs.
Collecting comp picks is, of course, a favorite pastime for Stephen Jones so it would make sense if the Cowboys went this route.
Dalton Schultz has become a reliable part of the Cowboys’ passing offense, but it is possible that this has been the case because defenses haven’t been gearing up to stop him. The weapons at Prescott’s disposal have made Schultz a franchise player in Dallas.
The 2022 season will be the time to find out if that tag came out of necessity, or if Schultz is worthy of a long-term deal with the Cowboys.
Do you think the Cowboys should have worked out a long term deal for Dalton Schultz? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
