The Cowboys suffered a major blow when they lost defensive end, Randy Gregory, to the Denver Broncos in free agency due to a contract debacle. Dallas had better luck on Tuesday when it comes to signing players as they locked up rookies Sam Williams and Jalen Tolbert to four-year deals.

Dallas has a current starter that's also looking to cash in. Tight end Dalton Schultz had the franchise tag placed on him in March for $10.9 million. This gives the Cowboys until July 15 to work out a long-term deal with Schultz. If no deal is reached, Schultz will play on that number for the 2022 season with hopes of coming to the negotiating table again in 2023.

According to ESPN staff writer Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys are looking to lock up Schultz for the foreseeable future.

A long-term deal is certainly on the table over the next two months. The Cowboys will at least try to make one work. Quarterback Dak Prescott, coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore are all very high on him.

Schultz stacked up with some of the league's best tight ends statistically last season, ranking third at the position in catches (78), sixth in yards (808) and fifth in touchdowns (eight).

Schultz has had two consecutive solid seasons for the Cowboys. He racked up 63 receptions for 615 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 even though Prescott missed 11 games, then followed it up with his best season in 2021, as Fowler mentioned.

Although he's been productive, Schultz's lack of blocking skills, and minimal depth behind him, made tight end a need for the Cowboys in the draft considering that they averaged 5.7 yards per rush attempt during the first eight weeks of last season when they ran 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends). To remedy that, the Cowboys drafted Jake Ferguson out of Wisconsin in the fourth round, a guy who can block and stretch the field more vertically than Schultz can.

Ferguson will have to battle Sean McKeon for the TE2 spot, which he'll likely win. If the Cowboys don't reach a long-term deal with Schultz, Ferguson will step into the TE1 role next season seeing as he'll be a much cheaper option. However, the Cowboys are looking to have Schultz around for a while, and if that's the case, he and Ferguson could provide quite the 1-2 punch at tight end.

Feature image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports