PFF has Bengals among best fits for Dalton Schultz

Would upgrading the tight end position be a good use of funds?

The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled at tight end over the last few years. CJ Uzomah filled the void well in 2021 then Hayden Hurst took his place in 2022.

The Bengals lost both to free agency, and Cincinnati tried to replace Hurst with Irv Smith Jr. That experiment failed. While Tanner Hudson and others did step up, the Bengals may look to target tight end in free agency.

Sitting in the top ten in cap space, there’s good reason to believe they may view upgrading the position as worth it, especially since Joe Burrow hasn’t had a great tight end throughout his career.

Pro Football Focus, who released the top landing spots for many of the best free agents, listed the Bengals and New England Patriots as the best fits for Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz.

“Tanner Hudson quietly carved out a meaningful role in the Bengals’ offense over the second half of the season as an underneath pass catcher, with his 35 receptions, five forced missed tackles and 19 first downs from Week 9 onward all ranking as top-15 marks among tight ends. Nevertheless, Hudson and Irv Smith Jr. are free agents, so Cincinnati once again has a talent void at the position. Capitalizing on a depressed tight end market in free agency could be wise,” Brad Spielberger wrote.

Schultz is just 27 years old, so he should have some prime football left in the tank. He spent the bulk of his career with the Cowboys and had a career-best 808 receiving yards in 2021. Schultz had 635 receiving yards on 59 receptions last season with the CJ Stroud-led Texans.

The Bengals, especially if Tee Higgins or Tyler Boyd, could use another weapon, and Schultz has proven to be a capable threat throughout his career. It could be a match made in heaven, but that is if the Bengals want to spend the money on the position.