Dalton Schultz and Cowboys Nation got good news on Monday, or at least news that wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But it leaves the tight end’s status for Monday’s Week 3 game in New York in some degree of doubt.
The fifth-year veteran playing on the franchise tag has a PCL injury, according to reports. While he will avoid missing significant time, it’s not clear if he’ll be able to suit up for the team’s next contest against the division rival Giants.
Schultz suffered the right knee injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 20-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. While initial reports indicated that his ACL was not compromised, the 26-year-old underwent an MRI to get a more detailed diagnosis. That exam showed a less serious PCL injury.
The Cowboys have said they will monitor Schultz throughout the week to see how it responds to rest and rehab.
Mike McCarthy on Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz (knee): “We’re gonna give him every chance to (play) this week.” But they won’t know until the end of the week
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 19, 2022
Running back Ezekiel Elliott suffered a PCL injury in Week 4 of last season, but managed to play through the condition for the remainder of the schedule.
Schultz led the Cowboys in receptions in Week 1, catching seven passes in the opening night loss to Tampa Bay. He was less involved in this weekend’s meeting with the Bengals, catching two balls on four targets for 18 yards before the injury.
Dalton Schultz injury pic.twitter.com/WD9W5wuHzp
— Joey Hayden (@_joeyhayden) September 18, 2022
What most fans will likely remember more from Week 2 was Schultz’s third-quarter fumble. It came on a 9-yard catch and run in which Schultz had already reached the line to gain and was fighting for an extra yard.
If the Stanford product cannot play Monday, the club will turn to rookies Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. Ferguson saw 34 offensive snaps versus Cincinnati (56% of the unit’s plays) while the undrafted Hendershot was in on just seven offensive plays. Neither has been targeted in the passing game in 2022.
Schultz played 90% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps on Sunday. He recorded 14 catches on 16 targets for 146 yards and a touchdowns in two clashes last season against the Giants.
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