On October 13 2022, nfl.com posted
the following top 10 tight ends:
https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-season-s-top-10-tight-ends-travis-kelce-mark-andrews-and-david-njoku-he

So, I compared that ranking to what
those tight ends Approximate Values
were for the entire 2022 season by
Pro Football Reference:

1. Travis Kelce .................... 12
2. Mark Andrews ................ 8
3. David Njoku .................... 6
4. Dallas Goedert ............... 7
5. Zach Ertz ........................ 3 (worst year of his career)
6. Will Dissly ....................... 3 (low AVs every year; mysterious why
................................................. nfl.com ranked him so highly)
7. Pat Freiermuth ................ 6
8. T.J. Hockenson ............... 8
9. Tyler Higbee .................... 6
10. Tyler Conklin ................. 4

Seems to be quite a bit of disagree-
ment there. Mysteriously, 49ers great
tight end George Kittle isn't on that list,
& the Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz
isn't on that list. Here's how PFR ranked
their 2022 seasons:

George Kittle ................... 8 (tied for 2nd-best)
Dalton Schultz ................. 6 (tied for 5th-best)

Per the following, in free agency, Dalton
Schultz is expected to sign a contract
with an average salary 2nd-best in the
league (yet to be seen what his actual
average salary will be).
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/09/dalton-schultz-free-agency-2023/

--- --- ---

Follow-up:

On Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 5:49:09 PM UTC-6, observer wrote:

..> On October 13 2022, nfl.com posted
..> the following top 10 tight ends:
..> https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-season-s-top-10-tight-ends-travis-kelce-mark-andrews-and-david-njoku-he
..>
..> So, I compared that ranking to what
..> those tight ends Approximate Values
..> were for the entire 2022 season by
..> Pro Football Reference:
..>
..> 1. Travis Kelce .................... 12
..> 2. Mark Andrews ................ 8
..> 3. David Njoku .................... 6
..> 4. Dallas Goedert ............... 7
..> 5. Zach Ertz ........................ 3 (worst year of his career)
..> 6. Will Dissly ....................... 3 (low AVs every year; mysterious why
..> ................................................ nfl.com ranked him so highly)
..> 7. Pat Freiermuth ................ 6
..> 8. T.J. Hockenson ............... 8
..> 9. Tyler Higbee .................... 6
..> 10. Tyler Conklin ................. 4
..>
..> Seems to be quite a bit of disagree-
..> ment there. Mysteriously, 49ers great
..> tight end George Kittle isn't on that list,
..> & the Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz
..> isn't on that list. Here's how PFR ranked
..> their 2022 seasons:
..>
..> George Kittle ................... 8 (tied for 2nd-best)
..> Dalton Schultz ................. 6 (tied for 5th-best)
..>
..> Per the following, in free agency, Dalton
..> Schultz is expected to sign a contract
..> with an average salary 2nd-best in the
..> league (yet to be seen what his actual
..> average salary will be).
..> https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/09/dalton-schultz-free-agency-2023/
..>
..> *--- --- ---*

David Kenyon advocates the Cowboys letting
Dalton Schultz sign with another team because
"he hasn’t produced at an elite level."
https://heavy.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/free-agency-dalton-schultz-salary-cap/

Kenyon says his best year, "78 receptions for
808 yards", simply isn't good enough to merit
becoming a top-paid tight end. Whatever, it
seems the Cowboys have decided to let Dal-
ton go unless estimates about what other
teams will pay for him are incorrect.

Follow-up 2:

On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 3:56:39 PM UTC-5, observer wrote:

..> Follow-up:
..>
On Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 5:49:09 PM UTC-6, observer wrote:
/> .> On October 13 2022, nfl.com posted
/> .> the following top 10 tight ends:
/> .> https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-season-s-top-10-tight-ends-travis-kelce-mark-andrews-and-david-njoku-he
/> .>
/> .> So, I compared that ranking to what
/> .> those tight ends Approximate Values
/> .> were for the entire 2022 season by
/> .> Pro Football Reference:
/> .>
/> .> 1. Travis Kelce .................... 12
/> .> 2. Mark Andrews ................ 8
/> .> 3. David Njoku .................... 6
/> .> 4. Dallas Goedert ............... 7
/> .> 5. Zach Ertz ........................ 3 (worst year of his career)
/> .> 6. Will Dissly ....................... 3 (low AVs every year; mysterious why
/> .> ................................................ nfl.com ranked him so highly)
/> .> 7. Pat Freiermuth ................ 6
/> .> 8. T.J. Hockenson ............... 8
/> .> 9. Tyler Higbee .................... 6
/> .> 10. Tyler Conklin ................. 4
/> .>
/> .> Seems to be quite a bit of disagree-
/> .> ment there. Mysteriously, 49ers great
/> .> tight end George Kittle isn't on that list,
/> .> & the Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz
/> .> isn't on that list. Here's how PFR ranked
/> .> their 2022 seasons:
/> .>
/> .> George Kittle ................... 8 (tied for 2nd-best)
/> .> Dalton Schultz ................. 6 (tied for 5th-best)
/> .>
/> .> Per the following, in free agency, Dalton
/> .> Schultz is expected to sign a contract
/> .> with an average salary 2nd-best in the
/> .> league (yet to be seen what his actual
/> .> average salary will be).
/> .> https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/09/dalton-schultz-free-agency-2023/
/> .>
/> .> \*--- --- ---*/
..> David Kenyon advocates the Cowboys letting
..> Dalton Schultz sign with another team because
..> "he hasn’t produced at an elite level."
..> https://heavy.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/free-agency-dalton-schultz-salary-cap/
..>
..> Kenyon says his best year, "78 receptions for
..> 808 yards" [in 2021], simply isn't good enough
..> to merit becoming a top-paid tight end. What-
..> ever, it seems the Cowboys have decided to
..> let Dalton go unless estimates about what
..> other teams will pay for him are incorrect.

---
March 18 2023

See Nothing, Hear Nothing? Why's Cowboys'
Dalton Schultz in Free Agency Freeze?

Dallas Cowboys' Dalton Schultz is seen as
one of the better tight ends in the free agency
market, so why hasn't he signed for a new
team yet?
https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-cowboys-dalton-schultz-cold-free-agency-contract-rumor-mike-gesicki-travis-kelce
---

The Dallas Cowboys opted to allow tight end
Dalton Schultz to explore free agency, with
rookies Peyton Hendershot & Jake Ferguson
cheaper alternatives than the veteran tight
end.

The thought was that Dak Prescott's favorite
target would be snapped up rather quickly
once free agency opened.

But...

Here we sit, over a week into the NFL's free
agency period, and thus far, only reported "int-
erest" from the L.A. Chargers has all that has
been circulating regarding Schultz's future.

Why?

Other tight ends in

Mike Gesicki [PFR AV 3 in 2022]

Hayden Hurst [PFR AV 4 in 2022]

Josh Oliver [PFR AV 1 in 2022]

all have secured new contracts [at significantly
lower Average-Per-Year cap hits than what Dal-
ton Schultz earned last year].

But what about Schultz? For some [actually, per
everyone interested in past performance], he is
seen as a better option than those above. How-
ever, nothing more than interest has been forth-
coming the tight end's way. [Dalton PFR AV 6 in
2022 after PFR AV 7 in 2021, career best; Dal-
ton's average PFR AV = 6.0 over last 3 years]

Comment: Key question, are Cowboys confident
that Ferguson & Hendershot & a potential draftee
are enough, -or- will the Cowboys try to compete
against another team's offer to sign him at _?_
(probably $10 to $11 million Average-Per-Year,
maybe more)?

High ranked tight ends:

Darren Waller .. $17,000,000 Average-Per-Year [7.0 average PFR AV over last 4 years]
George Kittle ... $15,000,000 Average-Per-Year [7.67 average PFR AV over last 6 years]
Travis Kelce ..... $14,312,500 Average-Per-Year [11.11 average PFR AV over last 9 years]
Mark Andrews . $14,000,000 Average-Per-Year [8.4 average PFR AV over last 5 years]

--- --- ---

Follow-up 3:

On Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 12:25:06 PM UTC-5, observer wrote:

..> Follow-up 2:
..>
..> On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 3:56:39 PM UTC-5, observer wrote:
..>
..> ...
..>
..> The Dallas Cowboys opted to allow tight end
..> Dalton Schultz to explore free agency, with
..> rookies Peyton Hendershot & Jake Ferguson
..> cheaper alternatives than the veteran tight
..> end.
..>
..> ...
..>
..> Comment: Key question, are Cowboys confident
..> that Ferguson & Hendershot & a potential draftee
..> are enough, -or- will the Cowboys try to compete
..> against another team's offer to sign him at _?_
..> (probably $10 to $11 million Average-Per-Year,
..> maybe more)?
..>
..> High ranked tight ends:
..>
..> Darren Waller .. $17,000,000 Average-Per-Year [7.0 average PFR AV over last 4 years]
..> George Kittle ... $15,000,000 Average-Per-Year [7.67 average PFR AV over last 6 years]
..> Travis Kelce ..... $14,312,500 Average-Per-Year [11.11 average PFR AV over last 9 years]
..> Mark Andrews . $14,000,000 Average-Per-Year [8.4 average PFR AV over last 5 years]
..>

---
March 20 2023

Chiefs’ Travis Kelce ... Scouting Report
on 3 young TEs including Cowboys TE
Jake Ferguson
https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-cowboys-jake-ferguson-chiefs-travis-kelce-tight-end-super-bowl-scouting-report-dalton-schultz-sign-texans
---

.... We have suggested in this space that
one reason the Cowboys could part ways
with standout tight end Dalton Schultz as
he exits a franchise-tag season & again
entered free agency is the presence on
the roster of a rightful heir.

& at least in terms of being a believer in
rookie Jake Ferguson, Travis Kelce gets
what we're saying. Schultz is signing with
the Texans.

Schultz is joining the Texans on a 1-year
deal worth up to $9 million. [that's far less
than what he was expecting, hoping for a
contract similar to what the top 4 TEs have,
listed in previous post above]
https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/schultz-expected-to-sign-1-year-deal-with-texans

& what’s left in his wake?

.... TE Travis Kelce recently was asked to talk
about young tight ends who share his playing
style. ... “I don’t know if there are any that re-
mind me of myself, but there are a few guys
I’m excited about. Kyle Pitts (Falcons) being ...

.... one of them. Ferguson down in Dallas &
(Daniel) Bellinger over in New York. I’m ex-
cited to see how these guys manifest over
the next few years & we’ll see where they can
take their game.”

..> **~!~---~---~---~!~**