Dalton Schultz, TE, Texans
Deal: Three-years, $36 million
Grade: B+
Schultz isn't going to put up eye-popping numbers, but he clearly has a strong connection with CJ Stroud.
Given all the other offensive weapons the Texans have at their disposal, having a tight end that clicks with your QB and is always good for 50+ reception, 500+ yard seasons is never a bad thing. He's also one of the best receiving tights in the middle of the field, which is always useful but even more so for a young QB that's still developing. Maybe the contract ages poorly towards the end – he'll be 28 when next season starts – but that's a bridge they can cross when they get there.
The Texans are entering a title contention window soon, and Schultz is a not-insignificant part of that.
Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, Titans
Deal: Three-years, $34 million
Grade: B
On paper, the move makes sense: Al-Shaair played for Ryans when he was on the defensive staff in San Francisco, both as a linebackers coach and as the defensive coordinator.
It's not like Al-Shaair's production dropped off when he left for the Titans, either: he had a career-best 163 total tackles (5th most in the NFL) and matched his career-best sack total (2.0). He's young (26), dependable (has appeared in double-digit games every year of his career) and knows the coaching staff well. Still – $10 million per season is a ton of money for a linebacker whose tackling numbers are inconsistent and doesn't do great in coverage.
Maybe Ryans knows how to get the best out of him, but this has been the real head-scratcher of the Texans offseason so far.
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