NFL: Not many enticing options among the top 5 tight ends in free agency

Having a great tight end can be a huge positive in the NFL. The tight ends in the final four of the last NFL postseason were Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Mark Andrews and Sam LaPorta. It’s not coincidence that many of the league’s elite teams have an elite option at tight end.

The problem is there aren’t enough top-tier tight ends to go around.

This year’s free agency class shows the problem. There isn’t one standout tight end among the group. The thin class got thinner when the Houston Texans signed Dalton Schultz to a three-year, $36 million extension.

Yahoo Sports is ranking the top five NFL free agents by position. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)

There are some decent stopgap veterans available, and here are the top five tight ends in this free-agent class:

Henry has had some moments. He’s a former second-round pick with 38 career touchdowns in eight seasons. He has been a steady performer but has not had a breakout season. He is just 29 years old and can provide a team a solid starter for at least a couple more years. You know what you’re getting out of Henry, even if that isn’t too exciting. He’s clearly the best tight end in this tight end class.

Unlike some other highly drafted Iowa tight ends, Fant’s career hasn’t taken off. He was a first-round pick of the Denver Broncos, part of the Russell Wilson trade when he was sent to the Seahawks, and was underwhelming everywhere. Last season he had 414 yards and no touchdowns in 17 games. Still, he’s just 26 years old with a strong draft pedigree.

Everett has posted between 408 and 555 yards in each of the past five seasons. He’s capable of some good games but hasn’t been a featured part of an offense and is unlikely to be at age 29 and beyond. He can be a starter for some team, like he was for the Chargers, but won’t make a huge impact.

If you want a blocker at tight end, Gesicki isn’t your guy. But he can catch the ball. He wasn’t the right fit with new coach Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins in his final season…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-not-many-enticing-options-among-the-top-5-tight-ends-in-free-agency-140046292.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-03-08 14:00:46

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