This time last year, Cowboys Nation was in a tizzy after Dalton Schultz was franchise tagged for $10.931 million dollars.
There were essentially two sides to the argument amongst fans.
Half of the fan base was outraged that Schultz would be taking up such a large piece of the pie, and that his salary didn’t reflect his actual output on the field.
The other half pointed out that Schultz was Dak Prescott’s security blanket, and the team should value him by giving him what he wants towards a long-term extension.
Personally, I stood with the first half of the fan base.
I felt that those $10.9 million would have been better used on a cheaper priced tight end, with money left over to address other needs.
My thoughts unfortunately resulted in me being added to the list of Twitter users that Schultz decided to block.
Until this day, I believe that was still the best block Schultz had in the entire 2022 season.
I may or may not still be salty. Use your context clues to decide.
Schultz plays for the Houston Texans now after signing a one year, $6.250 million deal to travel down I-35.
He also took his 57 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns with him.
Dallas looks to fill Schultz’s production with a pair of second year players and a 2nd round rookie.
Returning players Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot hope to team up with rookie Luke Schoonmaker and maximize the production of the tight end room in Mike McCarthy’s Texas Coast scheme.
Sean McKeon can also be lumped into that battle, although he will most likely contribute on special teams, if at all.
Tight end experience is a concern, and multiple factors could compound that concern.
What If Ferguson or Hendershot Fail to Make the Leap?
Ferguson is tentatively penciled in as the number one tight end on the depth chart.
Many feel he should be the clear cut starter, but the stats from 2022 say otherwise.
How can we have so much faith in a player that recorded only 19 receptions in his rookie season?
Fans are often blinded by big plays, and Ferguson did have a couple of those.
Namely hurdling completely over a defender for a big gain during the regular season, and a long gain versus the Buccaneers in the Wildcard round.
Maybe his 84.6% catch percentage also has people seeing stars.
Yes, he caught 19 of his 22 targets, but the majority of those receptions were closer to the line of scrimmage than we’d like to see from TE1.
Ferguson struggled getting open down the field, a trait even Schultz was able to make the most of.
Peyton Hendershot
Peyton Hendershot has even less of a case for a big impact based on his 2022 numbers.
Hendershot caught only 11 passes on 16 targets, contributing 103 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
The version of him that we saw finish the 2022 season is one that struggles in run blocking.
If McCarthy plans on deploying 12 personnel to “run the damn ball”, Hendershot will need to show marked improvement sealing the edge and walling off linebackers.
On top the blocking issues, Hendershot is also remembered for volleying a perfect Dak Prescott pass into the hands of a Tennessee Titans defender.
Should Hendershot not improve his run blocking, it’s difficult to imagine him cracking into the regular rotation.
Dallas features three wide receivers that are sure to be on the field with each other the majority of the time.
Add in Ferguson or Schoonmaker as the first string tight end, and Hendershot would be the fifth receiving option on the field.
Getting looks from that spot in the pecking order will be difficult to do.
What if Luke Schoonmaker’s Injury Lingers?
The Dallas Cowboys double-dipped into the University of Michigan in this year’s draft.
Tight end Luke Schoonmaker was taken in the 2nd round at pick number 58 overall.
The pick itself drew criticism from Twitter general managers.
Many feel that Schoonmaker is just a clone of the player that left to sign in Houston, and at least a cousin of the already rostered Ferguson.
It’s obvious that the Cowboys have a “type” at tight end.
Fans who were all about the all-in attitude that brought in veterans Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore felt the Schoonmaker selection was as safe as it could get.
Many argued that if tight end was absolutely the move in the 2nd round, there were more athletic and higher ceiling players available.
Names like Darnell Washington and Cameron Latu were still available, and their freak size and athleticism could have served the Cowboys well.
Alas, the pick was Schoonmaker, and there is no going back.
Dallas has a reputation of taking project players in the 2nd round, and most of the time they pose injury concerns.
The irony in this situation is that Schoonmaker was the pick because he was the safest bet, but has yet to participate in team drills due to plantar fasciitis.
As of Monday, August 7th, Schoonmaker has been removed from the injury list, and was listed as a participant in practice for the first time.
However, plantar fasciitis is unpredictable.
It could flare up at any moment, or it could simply heal itself and allow him to play the entire season pain free.
Nobody can predict the future, but we can make general predictions based on history and some current speculation.
Dallas could end up with one of the youngest and most talented tight end rooms in the league.
On the flip side of that same coin, one or more of the scenarios mentioned above could come true, leaving Dallas with one of the worst rooms in the NFL.
At that point, many would welcome the sight of Schultz still wearing a Cowboys uniform.