HOUSTON – Texans veteran tight end Dalton Schultz was shaken up in a collision with safety Jimmie Ward and walked off the field under his own power gingerly with trainers while holding his right side.
Schultz was examined by trainers and then watched the remainder of practice. Afterward, coach DeMeco Ryans downplayed the severity of Schultz’s condition.
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“Just a bang-bang play,” Ryans said. “He’ll be fine.”
Tight end Brevin Jordan didn’t finish practice and was limping. Eric Tomlinson and Andrew Beck filled in for Schultz in double tight end sets.
Meanwhile, second-year fullback Troy Hairston was carted off the field by trainers after being down on the ground for a long time.
When the Texans signed Schultz, they added a proven, valuable player.
The Cowboys’ former franchise player signed a one-year, $9 million maximum value deal that included a $4.5 million signing bonus, $6 million guaranteed, a $1.5 million base salary plus incentives. There are voidable years for salary-cap purposes from 2024 to 2027 with annual $12 million base salaries.
For now, this is a one-year arrangement. And the Texans intend to get a lot out the former Cowboys fourth-round draft pick from Stanford. He caught 57 passes for 577 yards and five touchdowns.
Schultz provides the Texans with a proven receiving threat at tight end after they lost tight end Jordan Akins in free agency to the Cleveland Browns as he signed a two-year, $5.2 million deal.
Schultz, who caught 78 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021, has caught 211 career passes for 2,122 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“I think Dalton has shown that he can make some plays in the passing game, in the vertical passing game, so I’m excited to add him,” Ryans said this offseason. “I think tight end is a very quarterback-friendly position, easy completions. Dalton has done a really good job of expanding his game, becoming a better blocker, as well. I think all around we’ve got a quality starting tight end in Dalton.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com