Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff fires a tight-window throw to former teammate and Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson at the Pro Bowl Games. Pittsburgh has long taken care of its own under Tomlin and this year is no different with the in-house promotion at defensive coordinator. He averaged just 9.1 yards per reception in 2010. February 27, 2023. in Uncategorized. His most efficient season came in 2019 with the Ravens where he recorded a career-high receiving grade of 77.3, as well as career marks in aDOT (9.8), passer rating when targeted (127.3), and yards per route run (1.65). Austin Allen and Nick Guggemos are signed but have never played in a regular-season game. Skinny: Gresham had a strong rookie showing for Cincinnati. Tony Gonzalez managed 83 catches and eight touchdowns in his age-37 season with the Falcons. AFC North 2022 Position Rankings: Tight End By Frank Platko @FrankJP0 Jul 14, 2022, 9:00am EDT Share Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images The start of training camp is now just days away. It also could be nothing more than the team maintaining the same depth in the running back room. The Browns moved on from their short-lived Austin Hooper experiment this offseason and committed to David Njoku, who they gave a handsome four-year contract extension. One of the biggest changes comes in the form of nose tackle Michael Pierce, whose position is relied upon heavily to stop the run in this 3-4 base defense. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Cincinnatis offense landed between eighth and 10th in most efficiency metrics a year ago and they were right in the middle of the pack in run-pass rates, with the score within seven points. Hes been a real key to the Ravens success on the ground while in 12 personnel. Thats an especially vital skill in a San Francisco offense that ran the ball at the fourth-highest clip in the league in 2021. My initial reaction is this: by whom and at what cost? Tomlin has felt the heat from Pittsburgh fans over the past few seasons after winning the division only once in the last four years. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Behind Andrews, Boyle returns for his ninth season. follow. These are the 2022 draft grades for the AFC North. 2 tight end that was brought into the fold in free agency from the Kansas City Chiefs, but he has just 57 career catches in five seasons. 1 tight end in the Steel City. But after posting a career-high 73 catches and 780 yards in 2021, there doesnt seem to be much reason to change his role. He lined up inline on just 7% of his plays, the lowest rate of any tight end in the NFL. If you like what you see on this site, we now have an ad-free option available for a donation of $25 per year, and you can enjoy the site entirely ad-free! New Raiders head coach and offensive play-caller Josh McDaniels certainly knows how to get the tight end involved after spending years with Rob Gronkowski in New England. Heck, its even possible hes at No. He may never develop into a downfield threat in the mold of Andrews, Darren Waller, or George Kittle, but Freiermuth should fulfill his role in the Steelers' offense as a consistent, possession-type tight end. The Cleveland Browns invested a lot of money in the tight end David Njoku while hoping that he would take a step forward and develop as a player. Of course, following the Raiders acquisition of Davante Adams, Waller may not be the target hog he once was. Brian Gutekunst on Aaron Rodgers: 'All options are on the table right now', Packers GM: Jordan Love is 'ready to be an NFL starting quarterback', Packers restructure contract of DL Kenny Clark, create $11M of salary cap space, Aaron Rodgers on future: 'I'll make a decision soon enough', Packers rank 6th overall in NFLPA's new team report cards, Packers QB Jordan Love ups comfort, confidence and intensity in Year 3, Tracking Packers' moves to get under the salary cap before 2023 league year, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst points to tight end and safety as obvious roster needs, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Although he does not have a decision yet, he recognizes the benefit of giving the team an answer in the near future. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Depth: Nick Boyle, Charlie Kolar, Isaiah Likely, Patrick Ricard*. Gutekunst specifically pointed to both positions when asked about his roster at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mark Andrews is part of the new "move tight end" evolution that has slowly become more en vogue. Really, the only other major addition through free agency came with the signing of tight end Hayden Hurst, who should split duties with 2019 second-round pick Drew Sample. Njoku has long been lauded for his athletic profile with the ball in his hands, but the Browns immediately pointed out his blocking acumen after signing him. They instead elected to re-sign tight end David Njoku, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, and running back DErnest Johnson. Ravens rookie class gets Top 5 grade after Year 1, Situation Normal: Eric DeCosta provides no new information regarding contract negotiations with Lamar Jackson, Its ongoing and optimism for Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta, Ravens News 3/1: Combine Preview and more. Cincinnati Bengals At Kansas City Chiefs Jan 30 Afc Championship 50 14) Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers The tight end position has five superstars hovering above the crowded field in the NFL. 30) Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings All four teams (the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers) have general managers, front offices, and personnel departments that have proven more than capable of evaluating, acquiring, and retaining talent in recent years. Either should continue to live in that short-to-intermediate range of the field, further boosting the likely volume for Diontae underneath. BALTIMORE RAVENS For the second straight year, the Baltimore Ravens remain on top at the tight end position in the AFC North. Thats a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering how tight this division is projected to be this year. Colts' 2022 training camp preview: Tight Ends Share this article 57 shares Kevin Hickey July 12, 2022 2:18 pm ET The Indianapolis Colts are just a few weeks away from returning to Westfield. If he returns, Gronk will be a specialized weapon for Brady with a chance to earn his fifth Super Bowl ring. They drafted a pair of fourth-round picks at the position in Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely, and still have Nick Boyle in-house returning to full health. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith finds San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle for a NFC touchdown in the Pro Bowl Games. Ben Roethlisberger's retirement makes this a transitional season in . 12) Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills13) T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions The AFC Pro Bowl team of Tennessee Titans long snapper Morgan Cox, Las Vegas Raiders punter AJ Cole and Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker wins the Kick-Tac-Toe challenge at the 2023 Pro Bowl Games. Kittles lack of size and production at Iowa forced him to fall to the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but hes capitalized on his elite athletic testing at the pro level. Expect Amari Cooper to act as the lone near every-down wide receiver, with Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz likely rotating through the opposite perimeter spot and rookie David Bell likely left to handle slot duties. The AFC North has been one of the most unpredictable divisions in football over the past few years. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. With the 2022 NFL Draft and most of free agency in the rearview, Gregg Rosenthal will project starting lineups for all 32 teams because that's his idea of fun. Thats due to the Ravens landing tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in the 2022 NFL Draft as the Ravens truly loaded up at the position after losing Marquise Brown and Sammy Watkins in free agency at the receiver position. Most notably, the Browns were in 11-personnel only 45% of offensive snaps in 2021. 29) Austin Hooper, Tennessee Titans Cleveland underwent some significant change at the tight end position this offseason, cutting former starting tight end Austin Hooper in a cap casualty move, before then turning around and handing a massive extension to Njoku, whom the Browns placed the franchise tag on after the 2021 season. Still, the Bengals have some decent talent at the position, which should help lead to success over the middle of the field as teams key in on the best receiving group in the AFC North, in my opinion. Kelce and Andrews are a little underrated as blockers, but neither is on George Kittles level. https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/01/packers-gm-brian-gutekunst-points-to-tight-end-and-safety-as-obvious-roster-needs/, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst expects Mason Crosby back in 2023, Packers optimistic about Rashan Garys recovery from ACL injury. As a rookie, Pat Freiermuth started nine games for the Steelers. Kansas City brought in receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore, but Kelce should comfortably lead the team in targets next year. The next two highest totals are . Thats likely because the Bucs were trying to reduce his wear and tear. But if Vegas offense performs at a higher level next season, it may not matter that Waller receives a smaller slice of the overall pie. Schultz has capitalized with 141 receptions, 1,423 yards, and 12 touchdowns over the past two years. Kolar is more of an in-line option that fits the Ravens system very well. You can call me a homer for ranking David Njoku at this spot, but I truly believe he is worthy of the position. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke publicly for the first time since completing his darkness retreat. Depth: Harrison Bryant, Miller Forristall, Marcus Santos-Silvia. The Steelers have major uncertainty at quarterback for the first time in 18 years. The team brought back Gus Edwards and maintains cheap control over third-year running back J.K. Dobbins to head a backfield that should see 350+ combined rush attempts. At this point, your guess is as good as mine, but the rumblings around the industry seem to think Hunt could be on his way out. These rankings reflect the status of each player as of today and could very well change by the seasons end. Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet. Thats why it wouldnt be a surprise if Moreau was significantly better on his second contract as he continues to get more reps. Moreau is scheduled to hit free agency later this month and that is an issue for the Raiders as Darren Waller has missed a ton of time over the last few seasons. Kyle Pitts will likely top the list of the NFLs best tight ends many times over the next decade-plus. 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