Tight end can be a fun, albeit challenging position to analyze. They can be deployed in a variety of ways, from run and pass blocking to split out wide, and the means by which each team utilizes the position can vary widely as well. Also, tight ends themselves can vary, from the more physical blocking types to the nimbler pass catchers. The rare hybrids that excel at both the blocking and receiving facets of the position are incredibly valuable to a team.

As we head into 2023 NFL Free Agency, teams seeking help at the tight end position have several options to consider, but in this writer’s opinion, former Dallas Cowboy Dalton Schultz is at the top of the list.

Schultz was drafted in the 4th round of the 2018 draft by the Cowboys, a team that at the time was looking to plan for life after Jason Witten, who was nearing the end of his storied career. It took a while for Schultz to find his footing in the NFL, as Witten continued to dominate the Cowboys in tight end targets and playing time. But after years of declining production, the Cowboys began the on-field transition in 2020 and Schultz proved he was more than up to the task.

As Witten was playing out the final year of his career, Schultz started 14 of 16 games in 2020, recording 63 catches on 89 targets for 615 yards and 4 touchdowns; not bad for a player that had garnered only 13 receptions in the two previous years combined. He would take that to another level in 2021, doubling his touchdown total and increasing his stats across the board as part of a dynamic Cowboys offense. He finished out his rookie deal and the Cowboys rewarded him with a 1-year, $10.9 million dollar extension.

Though his production slipped in 2022, an early season knee injury and starting quarterback Dak Prescott missing 5 weeks could be largely to blame. Once both Schultz and Prescott returned from their respective injuries in week 7, Schultz was back to his usual productive self, helping the Cowboys to the NFC playoffs and was a huge part of the wildcard victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 95 yards and two touchdowns. He followed that up with another touchdown the following week in the loss at San Francisco, and hits the free agent market with his stock on the rise.

Spotrac.com projects Schultz’s next contract in the $15 million AAV range, which would make him the second or third highest paid tight end in the league, right there with the 49ers George Kittle. While many teams could certainly use a versatile tight end like Schultz, it is going to take the right situation and a fair amount of cap space for such a move to make sense. Let us look at a few potential landing spots.

The Texans have all kinds of rebuilding to do under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, and the tight end spot is no exception. Houston’s offense was an abject disaster last season, struggling to move the ball at all. Tight end Jordan Atkins led the team with five receiving touchdowns, and showed a flair for the big play, something Schultz could take to another level. Atkins himself is up for free agency, but has never topped 37 receptions in a season and will be 31 when the season starts. The Texans have all kinds of questions at quarterback, and could well draft one with the second overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, assuming they stay with that pick. Should they end up drafting a rookie QB, having a proven tight end like Schultz could be a huge security blanket. The Texans have over $36 million in cap space for 2023. They have a lot of positions of need, but a move for Schultz would make a lot of sense.

The Bengals have elite offensive weapons at every level. Quarterback Joe Burrow is the real deal. Running back Joe Mixon continues to produce, though he is certainly well into the second half of his career. Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are as good a 1-2 combo there is in the NFL, and their offensive line is improving. Cincinnati played 2022 with Hayden Hurst at tight end, and he reeled in 52 catches on 68 targets, but managed a less-than-stellar 8.0 yards per catch with only two touchdowns. Hurst is a free agent as well, and the Bengals could seek to re-sign him at a lesser price than Schultz would command, given their plethora of offensive studs. Schultz would be a luxury signing that could make their already potent offense even more unstoppable, and with $34 million in cap space, the Bengals could afford to splurge.

Detroit surprised a fair amount of people throughout the league last year when they traded star tight end T.J. Hockenson to the division rival Minnesota Vikings before the trade deadline. The Lions acquired a 2nd round pick in this year’s upcoming draft and a 3rd round pick in next year’s draft for Hockenson, but that still leaves them with a need at the position right now. Detroit’s tight end production all but evaporated after the trade, though they did squeeze eight touchdowns out of the position outside of Hockenson in 2022. Jared Goff was as good as he has ever been last year, and they’ve got a budding star in wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Question marks remain at the running back position with Jamaal Williams eligible for free agency and D’Andre Swift showing time and again he is not able to handle a heavy workload. Schultz could fit right into the void left by Hockenson’s departure and upgrade an already high-octane offense for a team that has over $23 million in cap room available for 2023.

That dark (pun intended) cloud hanging over Green Bay is the uncertainty about Aaron Rodgers’ future with the team (what is it with late-career Hall of Fame Packer quarterbacks, anyway?). As complicated as his current contract situation is, it is difficult to see him playing for anyone else but Green Bay in 2023. The cap consequences of a trade would be immense on any team pursuing him, as almost every dollar of the $59.5 million due him in 2023 is guaranteed. It is still possible the New York Jets go all-in on Rodgers, and those talks have started as of this writing, but nothing has materialized yet. Because of the structure of his contract, the cap hit for Green Bay is only $31.6 million for next year, and that still makes him an option for them, if only for one more season. This offense clearly missed Davante Adams last year, as Rodgers struggled all year long to connect with a wide receiver corps full of rookies and well-past-their-prime veterans. Tight end Robert Tonyan has had moments, but is coming off his worst career yards-per-reception and only two touchdowns in 2022, and is now a free agent himself. The Packers have around $14 million available for 2023, and could likely structure a deal for Schultz to make it fit. Schultz could add a high-end tight end target for Rodgers, something he has never really had in Green Bay, and would be an asset for Jordan Love once Rodgers moves on, whether that’s this year or next.

Tennessee’s offense has been a one-man show for many years. Derrick Henry has been the very definition of a feature back, but he’s 29 and coming off a third season out of the last four in which he has led the league in rushing attempts. That’s a lot of tread burned off those tires, and the Titans at some point have to start planning for what life will be like once they can’t simply hand it to Henry 30 times a game. They tried to revamp their receiving corps by bringing in Robert Woods in 2022, but his year was derailed by hideous quarterback play and disappointing production, and he was released in February. The Titans have quarterback Ryan Tannehill under contract for one more year, but uncertainty abounds beyond that. They have some nice young receivers, highlighted by Treylon Burks who showed potential during his rookie season. Their lead tight end Austin Hooper is a free agent as well after being targeted 60 times, the second most on the team, and the Titans targeted tight ends 122 times in 2022, so there’s work there to be had. Schultz could be a nice addition for a team that will likely be transitioning to a young, less experienced quarterback sooner rather than later. The Titans have around $10 million under the cap, and they have some options to make that number bigger and could benefit from a player with Schultz’s skill set.

J.D. Day

Where next for Dalton Schultz?

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