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Is free agent TE Dalton Schultz a franchise tag option for Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys will have to make a decision about pending free agent Dalton Schultz after the tight end spent the 2021 season as a top target for Dak Prescott.

The NFL offseason kicked off this week and, while nothing becomes official until the league year starts next month, teams can begin to use their franchise tags. With 21 free agents to sign, the Dallas Cowboys might be in a pinch financially, which could lead to them bypassing the tag altogether.

Of course, not all 21 players are worthy of the franchise tag and the cost that comes with it, but the Cowboys do have a few options to keep their talent in house.

The first possibility is defensive end Randy Gregory. 

The projected cost – the salary cap isn’t set yet, so tag prices won’t be finalized until then – for tagging a DE in 2022 is $17.8 million. That’s probably too much for the cap-strapped Cowboys to consider and they’ll likely try for a long-term deal with Gregory to spread out any of the high-end money that they’ll have to pay to retain him.

Michael Gallup is also a top talent that Dallas wouldn’t be happy to see leave, but the franchise number for a wide receiver is projected to be over $18.4 million. Count Gallup as another option that has likely priced himself out of a tag.

The Cowboys could franchise punter Bryan Anger, who had one of the best seasons at the position in recent memory at a reasonable cost, but that seems unrealistic. 

The team hopefully recognizes the importance of Anger and tries to re-sign him without using a method usually meant for cornerstone players.

That leaves tight end Dalton Schultz as the most likely option to be tagged. At a projected $10.9 million tally, the Cowboys might be able to find a way to afford Schultz. 

The question is, with other issues to address up and down the roster, is Schultz worth that cost? If Dallas wants to keep their most productive tight end, they might be willing to pay the quote.

However, there are reports that the team will not be tagging Schultz.

Time will tell if this is true, but Schultz does feel like the logical candidate as of now. Things can change over the course of the next few weeks but Schultz is the best player at his position for the Cowboys.

The fifth-year TE had his best season in 2021 as one of the focal points of the offense. Schultz took over for fellow tight end Blake Jarwin as the featured option in the offense due to Jarwin’s injuries throughout the year and following Schultz’s breakout 2020 campaign. 

With Schultz on the rise, the former Stanford standout responded with one of the better seasons by a Dallas tight end since the height of the Jason Witten era.

RELATED: Notable NFL franchise tag candidates: Tag them or let them walk?

Schultz set career-highs in catches (78), yards (808) and touchdowns (8), all metrics that hadn’t been reached since Witten’s 2013 season. 

Since then, no tight end for Dallas had surpassed 77 catches or 715 yards, and Schultz’s eight scores had only been reached by a Cowboys tight end two other times in the last 25 years, both by the future Hall of Famer Witten. Schultz’s surge also landed him second overall in catches and tied for first in touchdowns on the team in 2021.

As an ascending player, Schultz has improved in each of the last two seasons when he’s gotten the opportunity to play.

Therein lies the conundrum for the Cowboys. Schultz has surpassed Jarwin as the top threat at TE, but Jarwin is a more explosive player, and the team has already paid Jarwin to be their playmaker at the position. 

Dallas could release Jarwin or ask him to take a pay cut, but either of those options might not work. Releasing Jarwin would put dead money on the salary cap, which the team might have a hard time justifying, and the veteran can say no to any contract alterations.

Yet paying Schultz when they already have a solid option in Jarwin, even if he struggles to stay healthy, might be something that the Cowboys cannot afford right now. The team also has a promising tight end in 2020 undrafted free agent Sean McKeon, who was one of the team's more improved players in training camp before a high ankle sprain set him back. 

If the team believes that McKeon can combine with Jarwin to do the same things as Schultz, they might be hesitant to use a pricey franchise tag.

RELATED: Do the Cowboys deserve high marks for their 2021 draft class?

The Cowboys can also try to re-sign Schultz at a cheaper cost or let him leave and re-invest elsewhere on the roster. Given that the team has been loud about their financial conundrum, and with Schultz likely able to command a large deal in free agency, not using the franchise tag brings a significant risk that he’ll be playing in another uniform next season.

Knowing team Executive Vice President Stephen Jones’ love for the compensatory draft picks that the team receives for departing free agents, this could be the preferred path for the Cowboys.

Nevertheless, It’s going to be an interesting offseason for the Cowboys, and whether or not to tag Dalton Schultz remains one of the biggest early question marks. Time is already running out to make that decision.

Do you think the Cowboys should bring back free agent tight end Dalton Schultz even if they have to use the franchise tag? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.

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