Regardless of Tom Brady’s decision heading into 2020, the New England Patriots desperately need an upgrade at tight end.
The Patriots totaled 36 catches, 418 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2019 from tight ends. Benjamin Watson was the most recognizable name on the roster with Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo behind him. Rob Gronkowski’s retirement put a tremendous hole in the Patriots’ offense and his absence led to one of Brady’s most difficult seasons.
Gronkowski didn’t announce his retirement until a week after free agency began, leaving very few options on the table for the Patriots from the market. There’s a solid group of tight ends available this offseason and the Patriots now understand what their offense looks like without a top-tier guy.
Here’s a look a five free agent tight ends the Patriots should consider.
Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons
Austin Hooper, 25, spent his four NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Hooper carries the most hype out the free agent group this offseason and his potential hasn’t been fully tapped into yet. Last season, he recorded 75 catches, 787 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. He missed three games due to an MCL sprain and his first 1,000 yard season would’ve likely came last year without missing time.
He’s a 6-foot-4, 265 pound tight end who can make a huge contribution in the passing game, but also as a blocker. There’s a solid chance New England has Hooper high on its list for free agency, but the price tag could get tricky. The Patriots have around $29 million in cap space and some important free agents to retain.
Hooper will head into the market with top-tier tight end money on his mind, so the Patriots would have to come up with an extremely tempting offer to bring him in.
Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers
Hunter Henry, 25, spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. Henry is viewed the second-best option in free agency and he carries many similarities to Hooper. He’s a young tight end prospect with a ton of upside and potential that has yet to be revealed. Henry’s issue in the NFL has been injuries, keeping him sidelined for four games last season and the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL.
In his 12 games played last season, Henry amassed 55 receptions, 652 yards and five touchdowns. He’s a red zone threat, excellent pass-catcher and tremendous blocker when healthy. Thats the issue for New England though — hoping for a healthy tight end to produce the entire season isn’t ideal for Bill Belichick. The Patriots could likely strike a team-friendly deal with Henry because of his injury history, giving him a chance to prove himself and work toward a larger contract in his next free agency bid.
The Patriots would be taking a gamble to pursue Henry, but it could very well be worth it if he’s healthy.
Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts
Eric Ebron, 26, has spent his six NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts. He’s one of the more interesting prospects who could be hit or miss for the Patriots. He missed the final five games last season due to an ankle injury, but his health has been consistent throughout his NFL years.
Ebron’s 2018 season is what sticks out the most, where he reeled in 66 catches for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s a proven talent as a pass-catcher and would potentially come at a cheaper price than the first two tight end prospects. He’s had a history of dropping passes though, and the extent of his ankle injury isn’t known heading into the 2020 season.
The Patriots definitely can’t count him out as a target, but there are safer options out there.
Tyler Eifert, Cincinatti Bengals
Tyler Eifert, 29, has spent his seven NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s the sketchiest tight end on the market by far, due to his long list of injuries. There’s only been three seasons of his seven in which he played more than eight games. Eifert was drafted 21st overall in 2013 and is extremely talented while on the field.
He was able to stay on the field for all 16 games last season for the first time in his career, and he reportedly drew some interest from the Patriots. Eifert pulled in 43 catches for 436 yards and three touchdowns. It’s very possible the Patriots could bring him in on an incredibly cheap deal, making him a low-risk high-reward prospect.
The Patriots would need another talented tight end on the roster if they went after Eifert, but he could be a cheap and interesting prospect.
Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks
Jacob Hollister, 26, spent his third NFL season with the Seattle Seahawks after getting traded by New England. He’s hitting the free agent market this offseason and could make for an excellent second-option guy for the Patriots. He had his best season last year after pulling in 41 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Hollister won’t hit the market as a top-tier guy, but he’s someone the Patriots would value more and utilize on a game-to-game basis.
Hollister spent his first two seasons in New England behind Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen. If Belichick could convince Hollister to return on a team-friendly deal, he could quickly get re-acclimated to the team and become a valued resource.
