Jerry Jones explains what's next for Cowboys' tight ends room, Dalton Schultz

The Dallas Cowboys had two main candidates for the 2023 franchise tag heading into the offseason. On Monday, Jerry Jones followed through with placing the tag on running back Tony Pollard, instead of tight end Dalton Schultz. The move raises questions about Schultz’s future in Dallas as free agency nears.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Jones addressed the uncertainty in the tight ends room, but provided no hints about a deal for Schultz.

“The tight end position and Schultz – it’s important for me to say those together to remind us that we as well as the position have other players involved here, and I think we’re very fortunate to have had the young players that we had last year really step up,” Jones said.

“But I’m not going to be as emphatic until we – which we started this week – until we have had a few more days to really establish what we what the tight end to be with what we’re doing with not retooling but adjusting with what we’re doing with our offense.”

With Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and Sean McKeon on the roster, the Cowboys have to weigh whether or not they can make up Schultz’s production with the younger players.

Cowboys contemplate future of tight ends room

The former Stanford standout hoped to sign a long-term deal ahead of the 2022 season but ultimately, the two parties could not work it out. Schultz played the year with a franchise tag. His salary for 2022 was $10.93 million.

Playing on the tag, the 6-foot-5, 244-pound tight end finished the season in second in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Schultz enters his sixth NFL season in 2023. He spent the first five with the Cowboys after they nabbed him in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He has totaled 198 catches, 2,000 yards and 13 touchdowns over the past three regular seasons after making only 13 catches over his first two.

Dallas finished the regular season with a 12-5 record but ultimately lost to San Francisco again in the playoffs. Schultz ended the postseason with 12 catches, 122 yards, and three touchdowns in two games.

The NFL 2023 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 15. At that time, contracts running through 2022 officially run out, making those players, Schultz included, free agents.