Texans Bolster Offense with Big Signings
The Houston Texans are strengthening their offense with two new additions. According to insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network, the Texans have signed former Dallas Cowboys tight end, Dalton Schultz, and former Buffalo Bills running back, Devin Singletary.
Schultz’s deal is a one-year contract that could be worth up to $9 million, as reported by Pelissero. Meanwhile, Singletary has also signed a one-year contract with the Texans, which could earn him up to $3.75 million, according to Rapoport.
Any average NFL viewer will tell you that the Texans’ offense struggled last season, ranking 30th in the league for points scored. With these signings, the team hopes to bolster their offensive capabilities. The addition of Schultz and Singletary could prove particularly valuable if the Texans decide to draft a rookie quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. The new acquisitions could provide much-needed support and experience to a young quarterback.
Dalton Shultz
Dalton Schultz, who stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 245 pounds, experienced a decline in his performance last season while playing for the Dallas Cowboys, following the team’s decision to place the franchise tag on him in 2022. Despite this setback, the 26-year-old tight end still managed to record 57 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. Schultz performed particularly well in the playoffs, catching 12 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns in two games.
Over the past three seasons, Schultz has demonstrated his ability to make an impact on the field, tallying a total of 198 receptions and 17 touchdowns. The Texans have recently lost two tight ends, Jordan Akins to the Cleveland Browns and O.J. Howard to the Las Vegas Raiders, in free agency. Schultz’s arrival is expected to fill the void left by their departures and provide the Texans with a reliable target for their new quarterback.
Since replacing Blake Jarwin in Week 2 of the 2020 season, Dalton Schultz has emerged as a dependable target for quarterback Dak Prescott, recording 198 catches for 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. Despite being a favorite among fantasy football owners, many experts consider Schultz to be an average starting talent, a view that gained traction during the debate over whether the Cowboys should place the franchise tag on him last spring. His performance in 2022, where he struggled to compensate for injuries and issues with the wide receivers, only strengthened this perception.
Despite this, the Cowboys have enjoyed an excellent return on their investment in Schultz, a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, who overcame a slow start in his first two seasons to become a fixture in the team’s offense for three years. Now, with his move to the Texans, Schultz will have a chance to prove his critics wrong and continue his upward trajectory.
Devin Singleterry
Devin Singletary has been the primary running back for the Buffalo Bills for the past three seasons, playing in every regular-season and postseason game over that span. Throughout his four-year career, he has tallied over 950 scrimmage yards each season, including a personal-best of 1,099 yards in 2022.
Selected by the Bills in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Florida Atlantic, Singletary has averaged 4.7 yards per carry and has been involved in the team’s receiving game, albeit to a limited extent, with no more than 40 receptions in a season.
Despite Singletary’s consistent performances, the Bills’ rushing offense has struggled, ranking 28th in the NFL with designed rushes on just 34.9% of its plays since 2020. Nonetheless, Singletary’s addition to the Texans’ backfield could provide a much-needed boost to their ground game and add versatility to their offense.
How Will This Affect The Team?
The signings of Dalton Schultz and Devin Singletary are a step in the right direction for the Houston Texans. The team struggled offensively last season, finishing 30th in points scored. With Schultz and Singletary, they now have reliable weapons who can contribute in both the passing and rushing games. Schultz has been a dependable target for quarterbacks and has posted solid numbers over the past three seasons. Meanwhile, Singletary has consistently put up good numbers as a running back and has experience leading a team’s ground game.
Both players could also provide valuable support for a rookie quarterback if the Texans decide to go that route in the upcoming draft. All in all, these signings could help the Texans improve their offensive output and competitiveness in the 2023 season.