Getty Images Dalton Schultz of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown with Tony Pollard.
If Dalton Schultz does not return to the Dallas Cowboys, he could end up reuniting with a familiar face in Kellen Moore with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Schultz will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will likely have some suitors, including the Cowboys, who hope to keep one of their top pass-catchers around. After failing to reach a long-term deal last offseason, the Cowboys used the franchise tag on Schultz, putting him on the books for $10.93 million. Schultz’s projected market value for a new deal is four years and $60.58 million — an average value of $15.14 million per year — per Spotrac.
In an article breaking down the top fits for free agents, ESPN’s Matt Bowen sees Schultz linking up with Moore on the Chargers.
“Some roster cuts are anticipated in L.A., which will help the team out with the cap — and maybe open the door for Schultz to play for Kellen Moore, his former offensive coordinator in Dallas,” Bowen wrote. “In Moore’s system, Schultz could be used as a seam stretcher for quarterback Justin Herbert, with catch-and-run opportunities on play-action and boot. His regular-season production in 2022 was slowed by a knee injury, but the tight end logged 12 receptions for 122 yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys’ two playoff games.”
Moore and the Cowboys mutually parted ways this offseason. But considering Schultz had his most successful seasons with Moore calling the plays in Dallas, it would be conceivable that he’d want to follow him to L.A.
Cowboys View Schultz as ‘Long-Term Part’ of Future
While the Cowboys and Schultz couldn’t reach a long-term deal last offseason, that didn’t prevent executive vice president Stephen Jones from showering him with some praise.
“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,” Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said on July 26. “So it’s not that we didn’t want him on a long-term deal. It’s just about getting to the right answer on that, and I think we ultimately will. 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.”
Schultz was also adamant that he’d like to stay in Dallas, although that could change depending on how negotiations go this time around.
“This is where I want to be,” Schultz said on July 28. “I’ve said that from the start, and I’ll keep it saying it — this is where I want to be.”
Cowboys Feel They Need More Weapons on Offense
The Cowboys were bounced in the Divisional Round by the San Francisco 49ers, which prematurely ended their Super Bowl hopes. CeeDee Lamb believes that Cowboys need more weapons on offense to get over the hump.
“You gotta surround (the quarterback),” Lamb said during Super Bowl week. “You go look at the Eagles, and they’ve got three receivers, a great tight end group, they run the ball well, the O-line is very phenomenal. You look at San Fran, they surrounded their quarterback and you get success ultimately. I mean we’ve got just as many weapons, but that extra player, all it takes is one. You can be so close to the Super Bowl and it can be a deciding factor.”