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Is Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz signed to a contract extension? No, the deadline passed for an extension to be completed.
Schultz will play on the franchise tag in 2022 after both sides could not agree on a contract extension.
He will earn $10.9 million for one year and the next chance both parties can negotiate a contract won't be until after the coming season.
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Dalton Schultz's Performance Last Year
The 26-year-old is coming off the best campaign of his four-year career. He caught 78-of-104 targets for 808 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games.
Dalton Schultz on not getting a long-term deal: “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. As I move past that, I’m at peace knowing I put my best foot forward. I’ve had my emotions about the whole thing but I’m focused on camp, getting better. … This is where I want to be.” pic.twitter.com/6aCLzCFRj8
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 28, 2022
Schultz has become a reliable red zone threat for the Cowboys and shared the team lead with wide receiver Amari Cooper with eight touchdowns. The question becomes will the Dallas Cowboys sign Dallas Schultz to an extension?
What Type of Season Will Schultz Need To Earn A Big Contract?
Schultz is the Cowboys' primary tight end and No.2 option behind star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. He will have a prominent role in Dallas' offense, with wide receiver Amari Cooper traded to Cleveland and Michael Gallup still recovering from an ACL tear. The Cowboys also released No.2 tight end Blake Jarwin. He is set up to have another productive season and become one of quarterback Dak Prescott's top targets.
A question many are wondering is, what type of season does Schultz need to have to be rewarded a lucrative deal? According to Nick Eatman of Cowboys.com, "he needs to be someone defenses are worried about. Right now, we haven't seen that a lot, but to be fair, he's played in a system that included CeeDee, Amari, and Michael Gallup. Let's see how he does against schemes that will focus on stopping him."
Schultz would need to have a season on par with other tight ends such as Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, and George Kittle. The Cowboys want to make sure Schultz is a difference maker and would have to surpass last year's totals before Dallas commits to him for a multi-year deal. "Schultz would have to join George Kittle and Travis Kelce by taking over games and giving defenses fits in order to receive a contract like they have," said Kyle Youmans of Cowboys.com. "That's the biggest disconnect between the sides at the moment and one that has to get decided. Schultz's side looks at the production, while Dallas believes that production can come from elsewhere for cheaper."
What type of season does Dalton Schultz need to have to secure a long-term deal with the #DallasCowboys? Our writers discuss in today's Mailbag. ↓
Mailbag | @MillerLite
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) July 30, 2022
Cowboys Expect Schultz To Be A "Long-Term" Member of The Team
While Schultz will play on the franchise tag this season, there is optimism that a deal could get done after the season.
“We tried," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “It wasn’t that we weren’t necessarily talking about a long-term deal. Sometimes it’s just when you’re getting your hands around what this team is not only going to look like this year but look like in the future; then you have to play that hand that way. I certainly understand where Dalton’s coming from. He represents everything we want in a Dallas Cowboy, on and off the field. He’s an available player who plays at a high level."
The Cowboys are still trying to determine if Schultz is worth a long-term deal. He was one catch shy of Lamb's total, who led Dallas with 79 receptions. Schultz averaged 4.6 YAC per reception (19th position rank) and owned 16% of the team's target share (13th position rank). Fantasy managers haven't seen a Cowboys tight produce like this since Jason Witten, and the Cowboys feel something will get done soon. "I think Dalton's going to be a long-term Cowboy here. It just didn't work out to get the long-term part of that figured out this time around," added Jones.
Cowboys expect Dalton Schultz to be a "long-term" member of the team. https://t.co/9LJ2PHSUqd
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 27, 2022
Where is Schultz Being Drafted and His Outlook For 2022?
Schultz has an ADP of 74 in standard leagues and 48.37 for FFPC formats (tight end premium), ranking seventh among all tight ends in the latest RotoBaller rankings. The 26-year-old finished fifth in PPR scoring last year (12.3 PPG) and is in line for another top-10 tight-end finish.
T.J. Hockenson and Dallas Goedert are the other tight ends being drafted right around where the Cowboys' tight end is going. Schultz is selected a round or two later after the top-five tight ends of Kelce, Andrews, Kittle, Pitts, and Waller are off the board.
Dallas will have an explosive offense again this year, and expect another solid campaign from Schultz despite not extending a contract with the Cowboys this offseason. Fantasy managers should look to draft him right after the top-five tight ends are off the board.
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