The Houston Texans did not simply sign a tight end to fill a roster spot.
When the Texans signed former Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz in free agency, the expectation was to add a quality starter to give their starting quarterback a safety blanket and also help with the run blocking in offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s scheme.
According to Tyler Sullivan from CBS Sports, Schultz ranks as the ninth-best tight end in the NFL entering the 2023 season.
Dalton Schultz is still in Texas, but no longer has the Cowboys star on the side of his helmet after inking a deal with the Texans in free agency. While his final season in Dallas wasn’t as productive as his prior two campaigns, he’s still among the top pass-catching tight ends in the league and should be a solid outlet for No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud. He also is an underrated blocker, grading as the fifth-best run-blocking tight end in the league in 2022, per Pro Football Focus. One thing that was a bit concerning about Schultz last season was his decrease in efficiency. After a 2021 season where quarterbacks had a 118.6 passer rating when targeting him, it dropped to 77.8 in 2022. Schultz also had a career-high six drops last season.
New coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters on June 6 at organized team activities that he was pleased to have Schultz in the mix.
“He’s a big target and he’s very quarterback friendly,” said Ryans. “So that’s one thing playing against Dalton a lot in the NFC, he made a lot of big plays. So, I’m excited to see what he can do for us here.”
Schultz generated 57 catches for 577 yards and five touchdowns for Dallas through 15 games last season.