Regardless of whether Rob Gronkowski stays or goes, the New England Patriots must consider taking out a tight end insurance policy in 2019.
That policy would obviously differ depending on which scenario unfolds. If Gronkowski sticks around for another season, the Patriots would probably feel comfortable enough using one of their early draft picks to select his successor. That would give him an opportunity to help bridge the gap for the younger player, as well as providing quarterback Tom Brady with another versatile receiving weapon.
However, if Gronkowski decides to hang up his cleats, the Patriots would not only have to draft his successor, but they would also need to take a shot on a veteran free agent to serve as the insurance policy for the insurance policy.
Patriots tight end Dwayne Allen, who is still one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL, could get approached for more contract restructuring, but he has ultimately cemented his place as one of the cornerstones of the recycled brand of smashmouth football the team has implemented with running back Sony Michel. Yet, he isn’t a dependable receiving target to fill the giant shoes of a future Hall of Famer in Gronkowski.
And neither is Jacob Hollister, who hasn’t really shown the same abilities in live games that he has on the practice field.
Here are five free-agent tight ends that could potentially fill the gap in a post-Gronkowski era.
Tyler Eifert
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has only played 43 of a possible 96 games. If not for his first-round draft status and exceptional talent, the Bengals would have moved on a long time ago. Yet, the oft-injured former Pro Bowler somehow managed to stick around for six seasons.
He is finally set to enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent with an opportunity to sign with the team of his choosing.
The Patriots will likely be one of many interested teams in acquiring his services, particularly if he comes on a discounted price. He obviously shouldn’t be sought by the team to be a full-time replacement for Gronkowski, but his availability as a part-time solution, along with honing the development of another young player, would be the ideal situation.
As the years have gone by, the Patriots have improved in their ability to monitor Gronkowski’s playing time in hopes of preserving him for the postseason. So they’d definitely have experience taking on a talented player with a long injury history.
There are few places Eifert could maximize the potential he has left outside of New England. He is a proven offensive playmaker, as evidenced by the 13 touchdown passes he caught with Andy Dalton as his quarterback in 2015.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Journeyman tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins makes the long list of players that have failed to live up to their draft pedigree. Despite only being 26 years old, the former second-round pick out of Washington has already floated to three NFL teams: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.
He had a career year in his one-and-done 2017 season with the Jets, when he caught 50 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Things obviously went south for him in 2018 after joining the ticking time-bomb Jaguars and having Blake Bortles as his quarterback. He was put on injured reserve with a core-muscle injury after the first five games of the season.
An argument could be made that Seferian-Jenkins has never had the opportunity to play in a stable situation that got the most out of his talent. The chance to catch passes from Brady in the Patriots’ tried-and-true system could bring out the best in him.
It could be a low-key, yet impactful, signing for the defending Super Bowl champs.
There is a potential out in Seferian-Jenkins’ contract for the Jaguars in 2019, and even though the team hasn’t officially released him, he has already taken to Twitter to post his goodbyes to the city of Jacksonville.
His pending release is likely only a matter of time.
Jared Cook
Veteran tight end Jared Cook is a bit long in the tooth, but as he proved in 2018 with the Oakland Raiders he is still capable of high-end receiving production. He had a career-best year in his 10th season in the NFL with 68 receptions for 896 yards and six touchdowns, while working within the confines of the Oakland Raiders’ moribund offense.
This might actually be the best option on the entire list of potential free-agent acquisitions for the Patriots. Cook would bring with him a strong locker room presence, which everyone knows coach Bill Belichick holds in high regard, along with the durability to see him actually contribute on the field. If Gronkowski isn’t around to pass the torch to another young tight end, the Patriots could use Cook to do it instead.
This would be a better value signing for the Patriots as well with Cook turning 32 years old in April. He isn’t going to command the kind of contract it could take to land someone like Ebron on the open market.
Jesse James
A less exciting choice for the Patriots would be taking a flyer on Pittsburgh Steelers soon-to-be unrestricted free agent tight end Jesse James. While he lacks the big-play ability of an elite tight end, he has proven to be a reliable receiving target, which would fill an immediate need for the Patriots.
He somehow managed to snag 30 receptions for 423 yards and two touchdowns in 2018 in an offense filled with explosive playmakers like Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Vance McDonald. The arrow is pointing up on his talent, assuming he finds the right system and quarterback capable of putting him in the best possible position to succeed.
He could potentially find both in the Patriots, a longtime rival that has broken his heart on more than one occasion.
Charles Clay
Speaking of longtime rivals, Charles Clay has spent the last eight years trying to beat the Patriots as a member of the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. The 30-year-old veteran might now be open to spending some time trying to help them win football games.
In 2018, he experienced a serious drop-off in production, which was mostly linked to playing with a rookie quarterback in a run-first offense. He averaged 500-plus yards every season when Tyrod Taylor was his quarterback. However, his career-year came in 2013, when he caught 69 receptions for 759 yards and six touchdowns from Ryan Tannehill in Miami.
A veteran, prove-it contract might be all it takes to see Clay in a Patriots uniform. He wouldn’t be coming into a situation where he’s expected to do everything, which would be refreshing considering he’s been tasked with that responsibility for most of his career.
