Getty Former New York Jets starting tight end Tyler Kroft fist bumping head coach Robert Saleh during practice.
The New York Jets’ tight end position has undergone a complete makeover in 2022.
After an underwhelming performance last year, general manager Joe Douglas made it a top priority to add talent during free agency.
With over $45 million invested in CJ Uzomah and Tyler Conklin, things are looking up for the group. Although a piece from last year is likely set to depart this offseason.
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Happy Trails
Veteran tight end Tyler Kroft visited the Atlanta Falcons this week per the NFL’s transaction report.
The 6-foot-6, 252 pound has been in the league since 2015 and could provide a steadying presence in the middle for the dirty birds. He won’t wow you with his athleticism, but he is a really solid guy.
The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Jets in last year’s free agency but was plagued with injuries.
All in all, he appeared in nine games, starting six of them for the green and white:
- 16 receptions
- 173 yards
- 1 touchdown
Now after all of this money that has been invested in free agency by the Jets, it seems like Kroft is destined to find a new NFL home this offseason.
Although it is worth noting, there was mutual interest in a potential return in 2022, however, it was viewed more so as a fallback option if the Jets missed out on their intended targets. Obviously, that didn’t happen.
Right now Gang Green has seven tight ends listed on their roster:
- Conklin
- Uzomah
- Lawrence Cager
- Brandon Dillon
- Ryan Griffin
- Trevon Wesco
- Kenny Yeboah
Griffin will likely be cut sooner rather than later, but that move hasn’t been officially announced.
Not Done Quite Yet
If you feel like with the depth and star power at the position that the Jets would be done at tight end, you’d be wrong.
Connor Hughes of The Athletic recently mentioned that the green and white “still figure to draft another tight end in the third or fourth round” of the upcoming 2022 NFL draft.
For folks who think the #Jets are done at TE, here is this from @Connor_J_Hughes:
“The Jets still figure to draft another tight end in the third or fourth round” of the 2022 #NFLDraft.
SWEET LORD HAVE MERCY I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF! #TakeFlight
The Jets have nine picks in the upcoming draft and it would make sense to select a guy late on day two or early in day three to develop.
Uzomah is 29 years old but by the end of his contract will be 31. While Conklin will be 27 by the start of the season and will be 29 when his deal runs its course.
Beyond those two, there is just a bunch of guys on the roster that don’t project to be anything spectacular.
In that third and fourth-round range that Hughes suggested, the Jets have three picks ranging from No. 69 through No. 117.
According to the latest Pro Football Focus draft board, here are the top tight end prospects in this class:
- Trey McBride, Colorado State
- Greg Dulcich, UCLA
- Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
- Grant Calcaterra, SMU
- Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State
This isn’t considered an elite tight end group, but one that is very good and deep. None of the group projects to land in the first round, which should push several of these prospects down the board to the green and white in the mid-rounds.
This could be a great opportunity to select a young player with upside that you can put in the pipeline behind two proven guys with upside in Uzomah and Conklin who can show them the ropes and how to be a professional.
In theory, once those players play out their contracts, the young developing tight end could eventually take the torch from them to become the new TE1 on the roster.
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