What followed Schultz going down was a nightmare scenario. C.J. Stroud, already missing Nico Collins, was forced to lean on a tight end room with effectively zero high-stakes experience. Whether it was Cade Stover’s developmental growing pains or the lack of a proven vertical threat, the middle of the field became a ghost town. As we look toward the 2026 NFL Draft, Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans face a pivotal question. Do they trust the “youth movement,” or is it time to use their significant draft capital to ensure Stroud never has to play “hide and seek” with an open receiver again?
