Texans quarterback Dalton Schultz is mocked by NFL fans for turning down a three-year, $36 million deal from the Cowboys.
During free agency, Dalton Schultz was taught a lesson in the most difficult way imaginable.
The former Dallas Cowboys tight end had unsatisfactory results after turning down a hefty contract offer from his team to test the market.
Schultz's gamble in free agency failed miserably as he turned down the Dallas Cowboys' three-year, $36 million contract offer.
The one-year, $9 million deal he ultimately agreed to with the Houston Texans is a far cry from the $12 million a year average he would have made with Dallas.
In the free-agent market, Dalton Schultz desired to spend lavishly. Although no other tight end made as much money as he did on an annual average, he still had high expectations for his salary.
Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, and Evan Engram just received contracts with an average annual value of $12.5 million.
It's reasonable to ask if he intended to finish among the top five at the position, which would have earned him $14 million annually, similar to what the Baltimore Ravens paid Mark Andrews.
This was a reasonable expectation given the pay cap's current high level for someone who rejected $12 million. In the end, the decision to settle for $9 million must have been quite discouraging.
Schultz's one-year contract is a plus, and with another strong campaign, he will be able to firmly establish himself as one of the league's top tight ends.