Dallas Cowboys Tight End Expected to Move on in Free Agency

The Dallas Cowboys appear ready to move on from their top tight end. According to the Dallas Morning News's Michael Gehlken, "little momentum currently exists" for Dalton Schultz and the Cowboys on a new contract.

As Cowboys focus on adding to offense, little momentum currently exists toward a Dalton Schultz return. Barring a shift in winds, the tight end will reach the open market on March 13. https://t.co/b6TvTaiTMZ https://t.co/yH9LXcItjc
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 2, 2023

Schultz played 2022 on the franchise tag and didn't quite have the season he hoped for. After setting career highs in catches (78), yards (808), touchdowns (8), and yards per target (7.8) in 2021, Schultz fell back down to earth in 2022, logging a 57/577/5/6.5 line.

Schultz played on a $10.931 million franchise tag in 2022, so it would cost the Cowboys $13.12 million to apply it again. Given his regression and the fact that the Cowboys have higher priorities in free agency, it seems like he will hit unrestricted free agency. He's only 26 years old, so some team could plausibly offer him a deal that the Cowboys would deem too rich. Something in the range of Dawson Knox's four-year, $52 million deal with the Buffalo Bills and David Njoku's four-year, $54.75 million pact with the Cleveland Browns could be waiting for him.