I previewed the free-agent wide receivers yesterday. Here are the tight ends who will soon be on the market.
FREE AGENT TIGHT ENDS
1. Julius Thomas, Den. (26 years old)
At times he’s looked like he might ascend into the Graham-Gronkowski class. A converted college basketball player who’s caught 12 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. But he hasn’t quite gotten over the hump yet, and he’s benefitted from playing with Peyton Manning. Thomas was actually kind of a disappointment last year. He played well in September and was a heavily utilized red zone option, but he actually didn’t catch that many passes. He finished the season with 40 catches in the 10 games he started, including only 20 receptions in his final six games. If Manning decides to come back for another season, Thomas will have a decent chance at another season with double-digit touchdowns (if he re-signs with Denver).
2. Jordan Cameron, Clev. (26)
Has shown signs of being an elite tight end – maybe one of the top half-dozen pass-catching tight ends in the league. Has speed to get downfield. But he might be more prone to concussions than other players. He missed a game near the end of the 2013 season, and then he missed five games during the 2014 season when he couldn’t pass the league-required tests. He’s tired of playing in Cleveland.
3. Charles Clay, Mia. (25)
He started his career as more of a fullback and is short for the position (6-foot-3), but he’s developed into a viable all-around player. He’s caught 127 passes and 9 TDs over the last two years in two different offensive systems.
4. Jermaine Gresham, Cin. (26)
The only tight end who was drafted before both Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham back in 2010, but he’s no longer the athletic, difference-making prospect the Bengals thought he was going to be. At Oklahoma, he looked like he was going to be a freak who could consistently challenge defenses downfield, and that just hasn’t happened. Now they’ve settled him in as more of a secondary, blocking tight end. Gresham averaged only 7.4 yards per reception last year, with just one catch over 20 yards all year. The Bengals have used another first-round pick on a tight end (Tyler Eifert), and he’s the guy they want running the downfield routes for that position.
5. Rob Housler, Ariz. (26)
Other than Jordan Cameron, this is the most interesting free agent tight end, I think. Housler has some speed and receiving ability, but he doesn’t fit Arizona’s scheme. Bruce Arians wants tight ends who block. Housler potentially could land with a team that makes better use of his pass-catching skills.
6. Lance Kendricks, St.L. (27)
He’s a pass-catching tight end who’s been redefined as more of a traditional blocker. The Rams signed Jared Cook, and they made him their pass-catching tight end, with Kendricks (who caught lots of balls at Wisconsin) transitioned into more of a blocking role. Kendricks has some red zone ability; he’s caught 4, 4 and 5 TDs the last three years.
7. Niles Paul, Wash. (25)
Undersized for a tight end. When they drafted him in 2011, he was a 6-foot-1, 224-pound wide receiver. He’s bulked up now into more of a pass-catching motion tight end. Had some success last year filling in when Jordan Reed was hurt, including games with 8 and 6 catches.
8. Ed Dickson, Car. (27)
I think the Panthers will re-sign him and use him as a secondary, blocking tight end. He came on some late in his first season with Carolina, with 6 catches and a touchdown in his last four games.
9. Owen Daniels, Balt. (32)
He used to be one of the top 10 pass-catching tight ends in the league, but I’m not sure if his body has another season left in it. He caught 48 passes last year for Baltimore, but Gary Kubiak is gone now (changing the role of the tight end) and Ravens would prefer to get injured Dennis Pitta back in the lineup.
10. Zach Miller, Chi. (30)
He hasn’t played in a regular-season game since 2011, but there’s a flicker of a chance he might re-emerge as a pass-catching tight end. He caught 6 passes for 68 yards and 2 TDs in his first preseason game last year before an injury shelved him for the season.
Other free agent tight ends:
Dante Rosario was Chicago’s second tight end last year, but he’s been around for years without ever quite getting over the hump. Virgil Green (Broncos), Matt Spaeth (Steelers) and Lee Smith (Bills) have some blocking ability, but I can’t imagine any of them ever making much of a fantasy impact. David Ausberry (Raiders) and Jacob Tamme (Broncos) have some pass-catching ability, but their older, lesser players who are just hoping to make rosters at this point, I think.
—Ian Allan