Dallas Cowboys: 6 shocking training camp revelations
#6. For Dalton Schultz, is Year Three the charm?
Following the news that future Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten was considering retirement midway through the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cowboys responded by selecting Stanford’s Dalton Schultz in the fourth round.
But after two years in Dallas, Schultz’s play has been limited and underwhelming. As a rookie, he started seven games and recorded 12 receptions for 116 yards. Last year, his offensive snaps drastically dropped from 300 (playing 28% of the time) to just 117 snaps (10%). Schultz recorded a single catch for six yards in 2019.
Witten’s return from his brief retirement last year clearly impacted Schultz’s playing time and, potentially, his overall development. Despite the fact that Witten left the team this offseason to join the Las Vegas Raiders, Schultz’s future in Dallas seemed in question after Dallas signed free agent tight end Blake Bell.
That move seemed to secure both Blake Jarwin and Bell at the top of the tight end depth chart, leaving Schultz in a battle with Cole Hikutini plus rookies Sean McKeon and Charlie Taumoepeau for a spot on the final roster.
TE Dalton Schultz has looked good. He’s not going to replace Blake Jarwin but he has shown some more ability in the passing game than he did his first two seasons. With Jarwin, Schultz and Blake Bell, the tight ends should be OK.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 26, 2020
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But by most accounts, Schultz is having a terrific camp and appears to be a lock for that third tight end spot. That’s quite a turnaround for a player who might have struggled to make it past final cuts this summer. But, perhaps, his third season in the NFL will be the charm for the young tight end in Dallas.