2022 AFC North. 16) Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams NFC beats AFC in Gridiron Gauntlet challenge at 2023 Pro Bowl Games. In the fourth installment, we are going to rank the starting tight ends in the division. Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs picks off trick-play pass thrown by brother Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs at Pro Bowl Games. How would you rank the AFC North starting tight ends? 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. When asked about his team's success with the play, GM Howie Roseman said, "All I know is everything we're doing is legal and works.". Share your own below and join in on the conversation in the comments! Tight End - After being traded from the Ravens to the Falcons then replaced with Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst is starting to look more and more like an NFL journeyman. . Chalk it down as a head-scratcher, and I have been hesitant to project Njoku for any meaningful increase to his modest 45% route participation rate from a year ago. The Kansas City Chiefs (six), Los Angeles Chargers (six), Baltimore Ravens (five), Cleveland Browns (five), Dallas Cowboys (five), San Francisco 49ers (five) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (five) were the other teams to have at least five Pro Bowlers. Hes much more blocker than pass catcher, but he fits the Ravens offense perfectly as an extra offensive lineman. The Bengals Hayden Hurst signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract this offseason in hopes that he can replace and replicate the production of the now New York Jet, C.J. Woods is a 6-7 253-pound tight end who projects as a red zone threat in the NFL. But the division has a solid group at the position with no weak links. Njoku finally found his game in the NFL last year for the Browns as well, turning in a 36/475/4 season, leading to a huge extension from the Browns after receiving the franchise tag. 19) Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders The NFL announced Wednesday the complete rosters for the 2022 Pro Bowl, and in a season defined by parity across the standings, it should be no surprise to see such balance reflected in the all-star teams. Kelce and Andrews are a little underrated as blockers, but neither is on George Kittles level. Behind Freiermuth, Zach Gentry really emerged into his own as a No. What really caught my eye was the stark difference in explosive plays gained on the ground versus through the air, as the team ranked 26th in explosive play rate on the ground and fifth through the air. Depth: Drew Sample, Mitchell Wilcox, Thaddeus Moss. Kyle Pitts will likely top the list of the NFLs best tight ends many times over the next decade-plus. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. And for some reason, his usage plummeted after Week 6. At safety, Adrian Amos, Rudy Ford and Dallin Leavitt are free agents. 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. Bryant had a quiet second season though his numbers were very similar to the numbers he put up as a rookie in 2020. 1 by next year. The real question is how long Kelce can keep this up. In 2021, the tight end finished with the following advanced statistics and rankings: He also proved adept after the catch, finishing 2nd among all tight ends in yards after the catch per reception (7.2) and 8th in average yards after the catch above expectation (1.1, Next Gen Stats). However, our focus here specifically relates to thestarting tight endsin the division. "To move up," Ballard said, "there's got to be a guy worthy of it.". 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. Here is how we rank the AFC North's tight ends: 1. Ben Roethlisberger's retirement makes this a transitional season in . (Photo: Eric Hartline- USA TODAY Sports). For our rankings, we will utilize prior performance via advanced metrics and data (with an emphasis placed on the most recent season), as a benchmark. Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis delivers a pregame hype speech ahead of the 2023 Pro Bowl Games. In terms of both sheer roster numbers and quality of player performance in 2022, tight end and safety stand above all other positions in terms of immediate need for the Packers. Second-round rookie TE Trey McBride could see time in 12 personnel, but hell have to get past Maxx Williams just to become Arizonas No. None of these teams ever looked even a little bit dangerous in the big picture of the NFC, and the future . The secondary needs to be so much better besides Minkah Fitzpatrick, who continues to be an amazing . Hurst had a down year in 2021 in just 13 games with the Atlanta Falcons, hauling in 26 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns one year after hauling in more than 50 passes and six touchdowns in a career resurgence. Of course, following the Raiders acquisition of Davante Adams, Waller may not be the target hog he once was. The next two highest totals are . After managing back-to-back seasons with 90+ catches and 1,100+ yards, Darren Waller was hit by the injury bug in 2021. Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet. The start of training camp is now just days away for teams across the NFL, with preseason and the regular season not far down the line. Tight end is a historically difficult and challenging position for young players, but the Packers need a young player to start developing into a long-term starter, and the draft is rich in. The next big story out of Pittsburgh has been the hand size of their first-round quarterback, telling you all you need to know about the classic Pittsburgh mentality of going about their business. The Browns ranked sixth in the league in situation-neutral rush rate in 2021 at 46%, just behind the Colts, 49ers, Titans, Saints, and Eagles. Health is the biggest limiting factor here. The average is just over the $14 million per. Tight End: Mark Andrews, Ravens. The Ravens move Andrews at the line of scrimmage to maximize his matchups, which he often dominates. Taylor returns for his fourth season in Cincinnati and brings back defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. The Seahawks took second place, led by veteran Geno Smith, who many wrote off as a career backup or bridge QB after the . Thats a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering how tight this division is projected to be this year. The epitome of consistency, Travis Kelce has been a first or second-team All-Pro in each of the past six seasons. He may not be the most explosive player at the position (4.6 career yards after the catch per reception and 10 missed tackles forced), but he is a reliable pass-catcher with just three career drops on 183 targets. 21) Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars Gronk isnt just one of the best tight ends in the NFL heading into the 2022 season hes one of the greatest TEs of all time. Fast forward to the modern era, Cincinnati was a threat in the AFC North by winning a few division titles, but they hadn't won a playoff game since 1990 until 2021. With Chris Godwin likely to begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, Gronk would join Russell Gage and Cameron Brate as options over the middle with Mike Evans on the perimeter. 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. Comedian and actor Pete Davidson chats with former quarterback Robert Griffin III about his experience at the Pro Bowl Games. Gutekunsts moving on comment suggests a few if not all three could be departing in free agency. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst can see exactly what the outside world sees looking in: tight end and safety are big roster needs in Green Bay this offseason. The former third-round pick appeared in all 17 games as one of the few Ravens players who managed to stay fully healthy last year, and he was efficient even when Lamar Jackson was unavailable. Mark Andrews is the prototypical tight end in every sense. Stats: 42 receptions, 512 yards, two touchdowns. Ravens were one of only four teams to receive less than A- for their strength staff. Heyward will be the name to watch though, due to his overall versatility that he brings to the position, where hell slot in as more of an H-back. Will they re-sign Moreau, making him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league despite being a backup? Look for something along the lines of a 65/35 split between him and Edwards, with additional rush attempts from Lamar Jackson thrown in as well. 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. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! The most telling off-season moves were the re-signings of David Njoku and Jadeveon Clowney, both of whom represent the particular identity of this team. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. 2 tight end last season, developing well as an in-line blocker while hauling in a career-high 19 catches for 197 yards. All contract information, as applicable, was sourced from Over the Cap.. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb makes a toe-tapping touchdown catch on a deep dime from Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith's for the NFC Pro Bowl Team. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is the lone change amongst the big three but has experience coaching a 3-4 base defense from the seven years he spent with the organization prior to a short stint at Michigan. The contracts of Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis voided, and Tyler Davis is a restricted free agent who isnt likely to receive a tender. Behind him is rising third-year player Harrison Bryant. Following Emerson were defensive end Alex Wright in the third (78th overall), wide receiver David Bell in the third (99th overall), defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey in the fourth (108th overall), kicker Cade York in the fourth (124th overall), running back Jerome Ford in the fifth (156th overall), wide receiver Michael Woods II in the sixth (202nd overall), defensive end Isaiah Thomas in the seventh (223rd overall), and offensive lineman Dawson Deaton in the seventh (246th overall). Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is undeniably the best player at the position in the AFC North and is one of the best across the entire NFL. Michael Mayer - Notre Dame Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) celebrates a. In 2021, he ranked 10th among qualifiers at the position in pass-blocking grade (72.4), having allowed one quarterback sack on 50 allowed pressure opportunities. 15) Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks Which internal free agents should the Packers want back this offseason? Please check your email for a confirmation. 22) Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals All just conjecture at this point, but I am currently confident selecting Najee Harris anywhere in the back half of the first round in all season-long formats for his elite athleticism and top-notch projected volume. Former quarterback Eli Manning rocks new Death Row chain in an interview with Snoop Dogg and Peyton Manning. All three will immediately step into a new-look offensive line built around former first and second-round picks Jonah Williams (left guard) and Jackson Carman (left tackle). AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West Broncos Chargers Chiefs NFC East Commanders Cowboys Eagles Giants NFC North Bears Lions Packers. In the five games in which backup Tyler Huntley was the primary quarterback, Andrews still averaged 8.6 receptions, 99.2 yards, and scored three total touchdowns. 1 based on his long track record, but Mark Andrews was the most productive tight end in the NFL last season. He proved himself as a red zone threat with seven touchdowns. Ertz isnt going to break many tackles or offer much after the catch. Teams ever looked even a little bit dangerous in the NFL ) Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks internal... Departing in free agency and Andrews are a little underrated as blockers, but Andrews! 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