MKnight82 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 I don't think we have a starting caliber TE on our roster currently. It's obviously a big need heading into next year and I thought we should explore what options the team may have to upgrade this position. First, lets look at who will be back next year: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/washington-football-team/yearly/cap/ - Logan Thomas will be under contract for 2021 at $3.61 mil. However, that is an easily cutable contract that would only give us $1.125 mil in dead cap if we wanted to move on. - Jeremy Sprinkle is an UFA. - Marcus Baugh is an ERFA. - Thaddeus Moss, place on IR this year, is under contract for 2 more seasons and then becomes a RFA. I don't see any point in bringing Sprinkle back. Baugh and Moss are camp fodder. Thomas could possibly return but only if we can't bring in someone better. I guess he could remain as a #2 option/competition. Either way Thomas is not a long term answer. So the easiest fix would be just to sign a free agent to fix the position. Let's take a look at the upcoming FA list at TE: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/all/tight-end/ Now obviously this list could change with cuts, but this is the list we have to go off of right now. At first glance I'd have to say it isn't a very impressive list. A few names of interest: - Hunter Henry, 26 years old, significant injury history. - Gerald Everett, 27 years old, never had more than 408 yards in a season. That's pretty much it. Anyone else is going to be over 30, or never played a significant role before. Maybe bringing in a veteran blocking TE, but I don't have enough knowledge about veteran blocking TEs to throw out names. Then there's the draft. Based on some early reports, this looks like a pretty solid TE class. Here's a general list of the top prospects: https://thedraftnetwork.com/prospect-rankings And here's an article with some early analysis on the top guys: https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/first-take-top-tight-end-prospects-for-the-2021-nfl-draft So it looks like there's a couple of TEs in Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth and Florida’s Kyle Pitts that likely will be first round picks. I don't see us taking a TE that early but I guess you'll never know. The good part of the class is that it seems deep too, meaning we might get a solid prospect in the 2nd or 3rd round. A player I found interesting is Tony Poljan out of Central Michigan. He converted from QB but he's a massive 6'7" 250 lbs. Someone with that frame could do a lot of damage. A guy that jumped off the screen to me last week during Virginia's game was NCST TE Cary Angeline, who's also 6'7" 250 lbs. Anyways. Anyone else have any good ideas on upcoming FAs, draft prospects, or possible trade targets at the TE position? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARTMONK HOF Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 (edited) Good TE’s today are hard to come by. One guy who isn’t mentioned much but I think would be a nice free agent pick in 2021 is Jonnu Smith, 25 years old, 6’3” 250 lbs. He’s done a pretty nice job for the Titans. Our free agency pick ups are far and few. Not sure we would even entertain this choice or any choices for that matter. Edited October 16, 2020 by ARTMONK HOF 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offbyone Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 The argument for bringing sprinkle back is that he is serviceable and will be cheap. Basically a complete non cap issue. When we were forced to use him as the 1 tight end, he was more productive then Logan Thomas has been. But yes we need an actually starting tight end. We should be pursuing all the free agent options available. Although, I have no idea what kind of TE fits a scott turner offense as I am not sure what a scott turner offense is yet. I do like some of the draft options, but considering our other needs, I am not sure if we really can spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on one? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 1 minute ago, offbyone said: I do like some of the draft options, but considering our other needs, I am not sure if we really can spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on one? That's where I'm at too. So many needs, but I do consider it an important position. Hunter Henry is the only impact free agent at the position but he's a huge injury risk. Not sure if that's worth it. We probably need to take a stab in the 3rd or 4th round. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT14 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 I feel like last year's TE class had a lot more going for it. Still can't believe we didn't capitalize. That said, I agree, using a 2nd doesn;t seem like the good play for TE. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSkinGM Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 Isn't Mo Allie Cox a F A next year. Colts have spent all this time developing a B B player .. Now might be the time to swoop in and sign him . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 6 minutes ago, RSkinGM said: Isn't Mo Allie Cox a F A next year. Colts have spent all this time developing a B B player .. Now might be the time to swoop in and sign him . VCU! Would love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/indianapolis-colts/mo-alie-cox-21731/ He's a RFA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offbyone Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 20 minutes ago, MKnight82 said: That's where I'm at too. So many needs, but I do consider it an important position. Hunter Henry is the only impact free agent at the position but he's a huge injury risk. Not sure if that's worth it. We probably need to take a stab in the 3rd or 4th round. I like Henry a lot. He is such an all arounder as opposed to these guys that are just pass catchers or just primarily blockers. Certainly not as dangerous as a Jordan Reed type but you can count on him to chip and contribute to run game. I am not concerned about his injuries. Those injuries are ones you either recover from or not and he is clearly healthy. It is the guys that pull hamstrings every other practice that drive me crazy. Logan Thomas is demonstrating what saving cash gets you. He is garbage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSkinGM Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 I can't believe we cut Hale Hentges . I thought he was better than the rest of the pack. Guess he didn't fit the scheme . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 30 minutes ago, RSkinGM said: I can't believe we cut Hale Hentges . I thought he was better than the rest of the pack. Guess he didn't fit the scheme . What does the scheme even call for in a TE? Olsen at Carolina was an all around good player, I assume that’s what we want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle28 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 (edited) Damn, I’m going to run out of my likes for the day on just this page! I think I liked everyone’s post!! I think there’s a possibility that Pat Freiermuth is available for us with our top 5 pick in the 2nd round, but a playoff team may take him in the 20s before we can draft him. I think that David Njoku will be on the trading block next spring, I don’t see the Browns paying $6 million for a back up TE. We could probably get him on a deal like the Falcons used to get Hurst last year, a 2nd and a 5th. That’s probably the best move we could make. Frankly, I wish Rivera would make the trade now for Njoku. I do think they hold onto Logan Thomas as our #2 TE and Marcus Baugh is our #3 TE next year. I don’t think the Chargers will let Hunter Henry go, he’s too important to Herbert’s success as a young veteran TE for a young QB. And, I’ll say it again as I’ve said in several threads since Harmon tore his ACL and Cam Sims originally was just a practice squad player again, one of them should be turned into a pass catching TE for us. Cam or Kelvin vs a LB or SS in the middle of the field would be a huge mismatch for us next year. I don’t think Cam is anything more than a #5 Wr - so IMO make him a TE - and Kelvin was already a 4.6 guy as a WR, after tearing his ACL he may even be a step slower, so put some weight on his behind and make him a TE. Harmon is already a good blocker and he has good tough hands to catch balls across the middle. Edited October 16, 2020 by turtle28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARTMONK HOF Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 1 hour ago, MKnight82 said: That's where I'm at too. So many needs, but I do consider it an important position. Hunter Henry is the only impact free agent at the position but he's a huge injury risk. Not sure if that's worth it. We probably need to take a stab in the 3rd or 4th round. I like HH also but he is a big injury risk. TE’s in the league take a beating. Not much choice in the upcoming draft but I guess it’s worth a shot in the middle of the draft and HOPE we get real lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavar703 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 Pitts from Florida is dynamic and a major matchup issue but it doesn’t seem to really work out when a TE is picked high in the draft. I think the best TEs in the league were all picked after the third round but I could be wrong on that. I’d like to snag one of Howard or Njoku for cheap but I doubt that happens. If we go for one in the draft I would assume it would be in the third round so that’s Brevin Jordan range. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle28 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 33 minutes ago, lavar703 said: Pitts from Florida is dynamic and a major matchup issue but it doesn’t seem to really work out when a TE is picked high in the draft. I think the best TEs in the league were all picked after the third round but I could be wrong on that. I’d like to snag one of Howard or Njoku for cheap but I doubt that happens. If we go for one in the draft I would assume it would be in the third round so that’s Brevin Jordan range. Agreed on that, I forgot about Brevin Jordan - don’t kill Me @Jeezy Fanatic - either him or Pat F. with our 2nd round pick next April seems like a great pick for us if the Browns won’t trade Njoku or Bucs won’t trade OJ Howard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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