Dalton Schultz

Career StatsC-

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
Career		124	405	4,066	27
2025		17	82	777	3
2024		17	53	532	2
2023		15

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Texans handed Dalton Schultz a one-year, $12.6M deal that represents a slight overpay for what amounts to serviceable starter production, earning a C CVI grade. At $12.6M AAV, Houston is paying premium money for a tight end whose recent output places him firmly in the middle tier of NFL starters — solid enough to anchor an offense but hardly the difference-making weapon that commands top-dollar investment. The single-year structure does provide some upside, allowing the Texans to reassess without long-term commitment while giving Schultz a prove-it opportunity to justify a more lucrative extension. However, the $17.6M guaranteed figure seems inflated for a player who's more reliable possession target than game-breaking threat, especially when several comparable tight ends signed for considerably less this offseason. This feels like Houston prioritizing familiarity and consistency over value optimization, betting that Schultz's steady hands and route-running can help stabilize C.J. Stroud's development even if the price tag doesn't quite match the on-field impact.

Performance Analysis

Dalton Schultz earns a C- for the Texans at tight end, a solid veteran who has been a dependable if unspectacular option in Houston's offense. Schultz has reliable hands and runs smart routes, making him a useful intermediate target for the quarterback. He is not going to stretch the field or make highlight-reel plays, but he moves the chains and does not drop passes. His blocking has been serviceable, keeping him on the field in all situations. Houston has a lot of offensive weapons, and Schultz fits as a complementary piece who does his job without demanding the spotlight.

Current Sentiment

Dalton Schultz enters the 2026 season on stable but unspectacular footing, having secured a one-year, $12.6 million extension that affirms the Houston Texans' continued confidence in him as their primary tight end. However, a subsequent NFL ruling requiring the Texans to restructure his deal — along with Danielle Hunter's — introduces a layer of contractual uncertainty that has tempered some of the goodwill generated by that signing. Schultz's public defense of quarterback C.J. Stroud's postseason struggles reflects a veteran presence in the locker room, though it also subtly underscores the broader offensive questions surrounding the franchise heading into the new year. At eight years into his career without a Pro Bowl nod, Schultz is widely regarded as a reliable, professional-grade starter rather than a difference-making weapon, and media coverage reflects that measured assessment. Fan and analyst perception positions him as a dependable complementary piece whose value is most appreciated within the context of the Texans' system rather than as a standalone fantasy or marquee asset.