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The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly "more likely" to use their franchise tag on tight end Dalton Schultz than defensive end Randy Gregory.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on the Cowboys' preference to tag Schultz but added they still "don't want to lose" Gregory and will also look to re-sign the edge-rusher.
Schultz, 25, is coming off a breakout 2021 season that saw him record 78 receptions for 808 yards and eight touchdowns as part of Dallas' top-ranked offense.
He's come a long way since being buried on the depth chart as recently as 2019, when he finished with just one catch despite playing in all 16 games.
His presence could become even more important moving forward as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday the Cowboys are "likely" to release wide receiver Amari Cooper for salary-cap reasons. Cooper tallied 104 targets in 2021, tied with Schultz for the team's second-highest total.
The cap will play an important role in Dallas' offseason as it's currently a projected $21.2 million over the threshold ahead of the new league year on March 16.
"We're not going to be able to keep everybody," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters in February.
While Schultz is likely to return via the franchise tag as the team doesn't want to downgrade the weapons around quarterback Dak Prescott too much in a single offseason, it could be tough to retain Gregory.
The 29-year-old University of Nebraska product has tallied 16.5 sacks in 50 games, all with the Cowboys, though his career was put on hold multiple times because of suspensions for violations of the league's substance abuse policy.
He posted 19 total tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception in 2021. He received a strong 78.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Given the widespread need for edge-rushing talent around the NFL and the Cowboys' limited financial resources, it could be tough to keep him once he hits the free-agent market.
It would be a major boost to the roster if Dallas is able to achieve its goal of bringing back both Schultz and Gregory, though.
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