by Carlos Nazario. With a new quarterback and an offense that will reportedly be opened up, in terms of routes run and shots taken over the middle of the field, Freiermuth could have an even bigger second season for the Steelers. The Ravens drafted two tight ends (Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta) last year to eventually replace Heap once he slows down. At tight end, only Josiah Deguara is under contract from last years 53-man roster. 2022 AFC North All-Division Team: The Offense Quarterback: Joe Burrow, Bengals. It seems crazy to think he could surpass his 2021 stats, but given the state of Baltimores WR depth chart, Andrews could receive even more targets next season. Stats: 40 receptions, 599 yards, five touchdowns. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (Photo: Courtesy of the @WreckThisLeague). Please check your email for a confirmation. John Harbaugh returns for his 14th season as head honcho of these Ravens, while Greg Roman returns for his third season calling plays offensively. While the stars of the position are typically elite . A lot of that was simply due to the fact that the offensive line struggled so much, and Ben Roethlisberger couldnt throw past seven yards downfield, putting increased pressure on the defense as the Steelers held possession of the football for only 29:40 minutes per game, which ranked 24th in the NFL. worth roughly $7.5 million more than the TE tag. My initial reaction is this: by whom and at what cost? Tomlin has felt the heat from Pittsburgh fans over the past few seasons after winning the division only once in the last four years. We are about two weeks from the NFL's new league year. This, coupled with the fact that the team has not significantly addressed the wide receiver position, should provide plenty of opportunities in 2022 for Andrews. Here is how we rank the AFC North's tight ends: Stats: 42 receptions, 512 yards, two touchdowns. Both should immediately step into starting roles. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. 2 tight end last season, developing well as an in-line blocker while hauling in a career-high 19 catches for 197 yards. The Browns moved on from their short-lived Austin Hooper experiment this offseason and committed to David Njoku, who they gave a handsome four-year contract extension. Thats likely because the Bucs were trying to reduce his wear and tear. His calling card is a very good blocking and catching tight end that . NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Goff's tight-window toss to Hockenson wows McAfee on Pro Bowl Games broadcast. His most efficient season came in 2019 with the Ravens where he recorded a career-high receiving grade of 77.3, as well as career marks in aDOT (9.8), passer rating when targeted (127.3), and yards per route run (1.65). Thats a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering how tight this division is projected to be this year. 28) Jared Cook, Free Agent The front office trio of Kevin Stefanski (head coach), Alex Van Pelt (offensive coordinator), and Joe Woods (defensive coordinator) return for their third year together in Cleveland. He topped 1,000 yards in all those campaigns, and even a slightly down year in 2021 resulted in a 92-1,125-9 line. Sign up for the Packers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The Lions bring back Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson, who should be healthy and ready to roll once again. Mike Tomlin returns for his 16th season as the head coach of the Steelers, joined by offensive coordinator Matt Canada in his second season and recently promoted Teryl Austin in the defensive coordinator position, who gets the bump from the defensive backs coach. 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. Three different teams have won this division in the last three years, in fact, while the poor Browns are still looking to win it for the first time ever. 20) Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers The youth at wide receiver persists heading into 2021, with Marquise Hollywood Brown off to Arizona, leaving second-year wide receiver Rashod Bateman as the de facto lead wideout, and a smattering of youth in Devin Duvernay, James Proche II, and Tylan Wallace left to fight over the WR2 and slot snaps. Njoku ranked 11th amongst tight ends in wins . Colts general manager Chris Ballard said he's heard the noise that his team is predestined to trade up to the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and select a quarterback. Kolar is more of an in-line option that fits the Ravens system very well. Consider him a weekly upside receiver at cost. Stats: 52 receptions, 471 yards, four touchdowns. 3 job in Cleveland remains up in the air as Miller Forristall, Nakia Griffin-Stewart, Zaire Mitchell-Paden, and Marco Santos-Silva will battle it out for the third and final spot on the roster at the position. Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Though he did suffer an injury he was prepared for the expanded role and gave the team a nice weapon as he played great at the beginning of the season. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) catches a pass as Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton (21) defends in the second quarter during the AFC championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. But if Vegas offense performs at a higher level next season, it may not matter that Waller receives a smaller slice of the overall pie. Uzomah, New York Jets In 2021, he finished 1st at the position in Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR), which gives the value of the performance on plays where the tight end caught the ball, compared to a replacement-level TE in the same game situations and then translated into yardage (Football Outsiders). Additionally, he generated the 6th-highest explosive play rate (13 percent), while the Ravens' air attack in total finished with an eight percent explosive pass rate that was good for 15th. Thats almost half of the average delta from the other 31 teams in the same splits from a season ago. It appears likely Emerson will find his way into the starting lineup this season after the team traded slot corner Troy Hill. His offensive role became more consistent as the season progressed and he wound up totaling just under 500 receiving yards with 60 receptions. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley, tight end Mark Andrews team up for second TD connection for AFC in flag football game. 1-20, 2-52, 3-84, 4-138, 7-225, 7-241. Mike Gesicki is not your fathers tight end. Much of Freiermuths production was short-yardage but the Steelers downfield passing attack was limited as a whole. Hes been a real key to the Ravens success on the ground while in 12 personnel. On Monday, five Pro Bowl players were revealed, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who set an NFL record with his 15th Pro Bowl selection. Despite a good season from Cole Kmet, the offense received nothing behind him. Veteran Josh Oliver also returns as a big move tight end for the Ravens, though his roster spot is in serious jeopardy. Defensive backs work out on Friday, while tight ends test on Saturday. I also expect Diontae Johnson to continue to be featured as the primary pass-catcher in Matt Canadas offense. . Brian Gutekunst on Aaron Rodgers: 'All options are on the table right now', Packers GM: Jordan Love is 'ready to be an NFL starting quarterback', Packers restructure contract of DL Kenny Clark, create $11M of salary cap space, Aaron Rodgers on future: 'I'll make a decision soon enough', Packers rank 6th overall in NFLPA's new team report cards, Packers QB Jordan Love ups comfort, confidence and intensity in Year 3, Tracking Packers' moves to get under the salary cap before 2023 league year, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst points to tight end and safety as obvious roster needs, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Philadelphia Eagles converted 90% of QB sneaks this season and while the push play has been legal since 2005, no team employed it with as much dominance as the 2022 Eagles. Blake Jarwin was far more involved in the teams offense from 2018-19, and the former undrafted free agent signed a three-year extension with the Cowboys in March 2020. Health is the biggest limiting factor here. 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. For good reason: The tight end has hauled in 14 of 16 targets for 106 yards and a league-high four touchdowns in 2022 when defenses send extra pass rushers. Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs breaks up Trevor Lawrence's pass intended for his brother, Stefon Diggs, at the Pro Bowl Games. Though some big names like Austin Hooper, CJ Uzomah and Eric Ebron have departed, star-caliber players in Mark Andrews, Pat Freiermuth and David Njoku remain. One year after being my biggest tight end fade, Kyle Pitts is now one of the best fantasy football tight end targets in 2022. What separates Njoku from the rest of the pack is his blocking prowess. Despite catching passes from three different quarterbacks, Andrews reeled in 107 receptions for 1,361 receiving yards and nine scores. Kelce gets the deference at No. Skinny: Gresham had a strong rookie showing for Cincinnati. A historically great blocker for the tight end position, Gronkowski was only asked to block on 36.6% of his snaps, one of the lowest TE rates in the league. That's what happens when he produced one of the best rookie seasons we've ever seen from a tight end. The Arizona Cardinals must address the tight end position this offseason. The next two highest totals are . The 6-foot-8 Zach Gentry is now the primary backup, and the Steelers also drafted Connor Heyward, younger brother of defensive tackle Cam Heyward. Aaron Rodgers emerges from 'Darkness retreat' to Raiders reportedly not interested in acquiring him. Look for a return to form this season from the Ravens defense, which should, again, help to increase the likelihood of more rush attempts from this team. Well, for one, the Ravens attempted 35.9 passes per game in 2021 after averaging just 25.9 in 2020. Odds & lines subject to change. With Amari Cooper gone and Michael Gallup recovering from an ACL tear, Schultz is poised for a career year. Further, among the 35 qualifiers at the position that had a minimum of 40 targets, he ranked 2nd in receptions (107), 2nd in first down receptions (75), and 3rd in yards per route run (2.18). Ford ascended into a starting job as Savage faltered last season and could be a target to return, while Leavitt was a top special teamer. Expect Moreau to receive a ton of interest in free agency given his athleticism and receiving upside. 2022 NFL Draft Picks. 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. Check out the AFC South. Jimmy Graham made the same case when he was franchised in 2014 and was in the process of appealing an arbitrators decision against him when he agreed to an extension with the Saints. Here is how we rank the AFC North's tight ends: 1. Pitts only scored one touchdown last season, and given the Falcons current quarterback situation, he may not find the end zone much in 2022 either. More specifically, he was most impactful on short passes in the center of the field where he caught 25 of 29 targets for 214 yards and 16 first downs. 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. Andrews, who hauled in a career-high 107 passes for 1,361 yards. Thats why it wouldnt be a surprise if Moreau was significantly better on his second contract as he continues to get more reps. Moreau is scheduled to hit free agency later this month and that is an issue for the Raiders as Darren Waller has missed a ton of time over the last few seasons. The Ravens move Andrews at the line of scrimmage to maximize his matchups, which he often dominates. 1 TE role now, especially with the changes at quarterback the Browns made in the offseason. Assigned the franchise tag in March, Schultz may be wise to hold off on a long-term agreement until after what should be a promising 2022 campaign. They replaced him with a familiar AFC North face in Hayden Hurst. The full picture came into view in 2021 as Zac Taylor led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. 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. He made some spectacular catches as a sure-handed weapon, though he did have some game-changing mistakes as well. 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. Jack Doyle retired in March and that leaves Moe Ali-Cox as their most experienced tight end. They continued with outside linebacker David Ojabo in the second (45th overall), defensive tackle Travis Jones in the third (76th overall), offensive tackle Daniel Faalele in the fourth (110th overall), cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis in the fourth (119th overall), tight end Charlie Kolar in the fourth (128th overall), punter Jordan Stout in the fourth (130th overall), tight end Isaiah Likely in the fourth (139th overall), cornerback Damarion Williams in the fourth (141st overall), and running back Tyler Badie in the sixth (196th overall). When it comes to the AFC North and the depth at certain positions, quietly the tight end position remains rather deep overall. 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