DALLAS — Tight end Dalton Schultz skipped the last week of Dallas Cowboys organized team activities at The Star.
The former 2018 fourth-round pick from Stanford is on pace to be slapped with the franchise tag on July 15. After that point, the Cowboys and Schultz can't negotiate a new contract until the end of the season. With little negotiating tricks left, Schultz was unavailable for the last week of voluntary practice.
Dallas coach Mike McCarthy understands where Schultz is coming from and has acclimated to the business of pro football.
"Business is business and I’m in the business of winning football games," McCarthy told reporters on June 9. "So, we all have contracts. We all have these types of situations that come about. Timing obviously plays into these decisions and transactions. Now, it takes you as a head coach, it takes you a few to get used to it. But I think you have to separate things in this world. It’s too competitive. There’s too much work to be done, and Dalton deserves the position he’s in, and, so, hopefully we can get it worked out.”
According to McCarthy, Schultz has been a staple of the team's offseason program and has been at team facilities at least once a week since the conclusion of the 2021 campaign.
While the 6’-5”, 244-pound tight end may have played hooky from the final week of OTAs, his presence has still been felt among younger players, such as rookie Jake Ferguson.
"He taught me a lot of the little things, which you don’t really think about as a tight end, especially when you first come into a spot, and those little things are kind of what take you to the next level," the Cowboys' 2022 fourth-round pick said. "So, he was just kind of letting me in on some of the little things, certain players, certain routes, things like that.”
With the absence of Schultz meaning more reps for Ferguson and undrafted rookie Peyton Hendershot. Ferguson has also been leaning on veterans Ian Bunting, Jeremy Sprinkle, and Sean McKeon for direction and guidance while Schultz is handling business.
"I’m trying to learn from all of the vets," Ferguson said. "With Dalton not here just leads me kind of into learning from Sprink, Sean, and Ian and just kind of get as much knowledge as I can. Like I said, I’m trying to get better each day.”
Mandatory minicamp starts on June 14-16, and McCarthy isn't anxious about whether or not Schultz will be prepared when it’s time to return to work.
"I’m not worried about his commitment or what he’s done," said McCarthy. "He’s in great shape. If he was standing here, he would tell you this is the strongest he’s ever been. So, he’s put a tremendous amount of work into the offseason. I think this is clearly why I separate it. It’s business. It’s business that he’s tending to, and it’s understood, but to think that he hasn’t done the work would not be accurate.”
Schultz caught a career-high 78 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns through 17 games last season, 15 of which he started.
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