The real question is how long Kelce can keep this up. Which internal free agents should the Packers want back this offseason? One of the biggest changes comes in the form of nose tackle Michael Pierce, whose position is relied upon heavily to stop the run in this 3-4 base defense. He brings some wiggle after the catch as well. Cleveland underwent some significant change at the tight end position this offseason, cutting former starting tight end Austin Hooper in a cap casualty move, before then turning around and handing a massive extension to Njoku, whom the Browns placed the franchise tag on after the 2021 season. Cleveland did quite the number with their quarterback position this off-season, selling the farm to land Deshaun Watson and his baggage from Houston. But as long he can keep finding holes in opposing defenses, hell be effective. Heck, its even possible hes at No. Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff fires a tight-window throw to former teammate and Minnesota Vikings tight end T . 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. Mark Andrews is the prototypical tight end in every sense. To me, his recent remarks sound all great and fine until the Steelers need to win games for him to keep his job. Moreau ranked first by converting 70.6% of his catches into either a first down or a touchdown, and 35.3% of his catches were explosive plays that went for at least 15 yards, the third-best rate among tight ends in 2022.. NFC beats AFC in Gridiron Gauntlet challenge at 2023 Pro Bowl Games. You know, the one in which he has the Packers and every other team in the NFL that has a need at QB wondering whether he will retire or force a trade? All four teams (the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers) have general managers, front offices, and personnel departments that have proven more than capable of evaluating, acquiring, and retaining talent in recent years. The Bengals wasted no time in addressing their offensive line this off-season, signing offensive linemen Lael Collins, Alex Cappa, and Ted Karras away from the Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Patriots, respectively. One year after being my biggest tight end fade, Kyle Pitts is now one of the best fantasy football tight end targets in 2022. He had 571 receiving yards with six scores in 2020 but his production was slashed in half last season after the Atlanta Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts. 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. His target count the year prior was just 89. The best defensive player in the AFC resides in Pittsburgh, as T.J. Watt had 22.5 sacks in 2021. 2022 NFL Draft Picks. 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. worth roughly $7.5 million more than the TE tag. Its difficult to get overly excited about the remaining skill position players with either Trubisky or a rookie (and debatably over-drafted) quarterback responsible for running this offense. 2 tight end last season, developing well as an in-line blocker while hauling in a career-high 19 catches for 197 yards. He may never develop into a downfield threat in the mold of Andrews, Darren Waller, or George Kittle, but Freiermuth should fulfill his role in the Steelers' offense as a consistent, possession-type tight end. Skinny: Gresham had a strong rookie showing for Cincinnati. In a recent article by William Moy of Pro Football Focus, he ranked the top 15 tight ends from the 2022 season. He made some spectacular catches as a sure-handed weapon, though he did have some game-changing mistakes as well. Andrews already blew up last year, and his 153 targets were the third-most by a tight end since 2000. (Photo: Eric Hartline- USA TODAY Sports). Here is how we rank the AFC North's tight ends: 1. 2 TE role well. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The 2022 NFL Draft is officially over, and over 250 prospects now have new teams. The Colts drafted Jelani Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! 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. If he can stay healthy, Kittle will be a reliable target for presumptive 49ers quarterback Trey Lance in his first year as a full-time starter. One of the most difficult decisions the Raiders will need to make this offseason is what to do with tight end Foster Moreau. Ben Roethlisberger's retirement makes this a transitional season in . Starting off with Week 5's highest over/under point total on SI Sportsbook, it's a AFC West divisional rivalry game between the Raiders and Chiefs ( O/U 51 ). Thats a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering how tight this division is projected to be this year. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Sign up for the Raiders Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, Raiders have a new DL coach in former Ravens OLB coach Rob Leonard, Assessing Raiders level of need at EDGE as free agency approaches. The epitome of consistency, Travis Kelce has been a first or second-team All-Pro in each of the past six seasons. 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. After the Eagles traded Zach Ertz to the Cardinals in mid-October, Dallas Goedert became Philadelphias primary tight end for the first time in his career. They instead elected to re-sign tight end David Njoku, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, and running back DErnest Johnson. Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs takes a photographer's camera after a long-distance fourth-down touchdown catch. The Browns have a very nice on-paper roster, but we cant help but feel like the self-induced off-field distractions brought on through the trade for Deshaun Watson and subsequent quarterback outbursts will have some sort of lingering effects this season. If anything, expect those values to see a slight uptick considering the improvements to the offensive line. The 49ers won the division last year led primarily by rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who was the last pick in the NFL Draft. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. When it comes to the AFC North and the depth at certain positions, quietly the tight end position remains rather deep overall. 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). March 13, 2022 8:39 am MT. Green Bay Packers safety Jaire Alexander leaps for an interception against Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and returns it to the end zone in the Pro Bowl Games. The Florida alum rewarded Atlantas faith, posting the second-most yards receiving (1,026) and third-most receptions (68) of any rookie TE in NFL history. Stats: 68 receptions, 763 yards, three touchdowns. The Baltimore Ravens have one of the deepest tight-end groups of any team in the NFL, and leveraged that strength to great effect in 2022. Kelce gets the deference at No. 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. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (Photo: Courtesy of the @WreckThisLeague). This knack for roster building has been reflected in the league standings with the division having five appearances in the playoffs over the past two seasons (Bengals x1, Browns x1, Ravens x1, Steelers x2). Players in this tier include pass catchers that will finish far ahead of the next group of players at the position, guys like Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Darren Waller, Mark Andrews, and newest arrival Kyle Pitts. Specific to 2021, he excelled via zone-blocking with a 77.6 grade that was good for 6th overall. 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. 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. 23) Albert Okwuegbunam, Denver Broncos Time is ticking on contract talks between the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. 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). If he returns, Gronk will be a specialized weapon for Brady with a chance to earn his fifth Super Bowl ring. 21) Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars 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. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens drafted two tight ends (Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta) last year to eventually replace Heap once he slows down. 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). 15) Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks However, once Atlanta finds their long-term solution under center, the sky will be the limit for Pitts. It becomes very clear how this team wants to win games under Stefanski. Goff's tight-window toss to Hockenson wows McAfee on Pro Bowl Games broadcast. And if the Eagles continue to run the ball at the highest rate in the NFL, Goedert could be relegated to a blocking role. At tight end, only Josiah Deguara is under contract from last years 53-man roster. A season ago, Las Vegas ranked 19th in offensive DVOA, but an improved unit could lead to more opportunities for Waller. Ertz isnt going to break many tackles or offer much after the catch. Injuries and starting quarterback Ben Roethlisbergers four-game suspension hurt his numbers. These rankings reflect the status of each player as of today and could very well change by the seasons end. Deguara has been nothing more than a role player in the run game, Tonyan averaged 8.9 yards per catch in 2022, Lewis turns 39 in May and Davis wasnt impactful on offense last season. The Cleveland Browns invested a lot of money in the tight end David Njoku while hoping that he would take a step forward and develop as a player. CLEVELAND, Ohio The AFC North is a perpetual battleground with four rosters that have talent abound, the strengths of which can (and do) vary from position to position. After managing back-to-back seasons with 90+ catches and 1,100+ yards, Darren Waller was hit by the injury bug in 2021. We spoke to the improved offensive line above, leaving the only other major change to this offense the addition of tight end Hayden Hurst. The No. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the division with an unimpressive 8-9 record, and the other three teams followed closely behind with a 7-10 record each. Cincinnati aims to rebuild at the position after losing CJ Uzomah to the New York Jets in free agency. April 6, 2022 12:34 pm ET. 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. Ertz slots in right behind his former Eagles cohort. Stats: 40 receptions, 599 yards, five touchdowns. That's what happens when he produced one of the best rookie seasons we've ever seen from a tight end. Well, for one, the Ravens attempted 35.9 passes per game in 2021 after averaging just 25.9 in 2020. Wide receiver George Pickens came off the board next at pick 52 in the second round, followed by defensive end DeMarvin Leal in the third (84th overall), wide receiver Calvin Austin III in the fourth (138th overall), tight end/fullback hybrid Connor Heyward in the sixth (208th overall), linebacker Mark Robinson in the seventh (225th overall), and quarterback Chris Oladokun in the seventh (241st overall). Basically, Zac Taylors Bengals remained relatively balanced regardless of game flow. What are your thoughts on this order? What separates Njoku from the rest of the pack is his blocking prowess. Behind Freiermuth, Zach Gentry really emerged into his own as a No. The majority of the six picks made by the Bengals in this years NFL draft were made on the defensive side of the ball, as the team selected safety Daxton Hill with the 31st pick in the first round, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt in the second (60th overall), defensive tackle Zachary Carter in the third (95th overall), offensive tackle Cordell Volson in the fourth (136th overall), safety Tycen Anderson in the fifth (166th overall), and defensive edge Jeffrey Gunter in the seventh (252nd overall). AFC North Player Rankings: Tight Ends By Cody Suek Jun 23, 2022 4 (Photo: Courtesy of the @WreckThisLeague) CLEVELAND, Ohio - The AFC North is a perpetual battleground with four. Behind him is rising third-year player Harrison Bryant. BALTIMORE RAVENS For the second straight year, the Baltimore Ravens remain on top at the tight end position in the AFC North. Ricard is one of the few top-tier fullbacks in the NFL but is also an underrated pass-catching option. 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. Last season, the Baltimore Ravens ascended to the top spot in my Ranking The Rooms: AFC North TEs piece, in large part due to the star power of Andrews, and the impressive depth featuring names like Nick Boyle and Tony Poljan. 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. In total, 500+ rush attempts from this team would not surprise me in the slightest when all is said and done, leaving a solid 12-15 weekly rush attempts and hefty goal-line role to Dobbins. 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. AFC North Dynasty Breakout Players for 2022 - Dynasty Nerds Dynasty AFC North Dynasty Breakout Players for 2022 There are always players that breakout every year in dynasty, but @DarthDbacks gives you some names to go get before they have their dynasty breakout in 2022, AFC North edition September 2, 2022 The team brought in safety Marcus Williams via a massive five-year, $70 million deal, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, defensive tackle Michael Pierce, running back Mike Davis for added backfield depth, and depth secondary piece Kyle Fuller, amongst other, lesser-known signings. With Ben Roethlisberger retiring, who's the next Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback? Hes at the stage of his career where he mostly hauls in the ball and goes down. 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. Losing Uzomah to the Jets will really hurt this position group overall in Cincinnati. But Miller remains one of the leagues most well-rounded and dependable tight ends. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Two of their top four receivers by yardage were. You can call me a homer for ranking David Njoku at this spot, but I truly believe he is worthy of the position. 32) Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots, Jalen Carters Arrest Dominated the Discussion at the NFL Combine, for Better or Worse, Biggest Takeaways From The NFLPA Report Card: Vikings, Dolphins, and Raiders Shine, NFL Scouting Combine News and Rumors: The Unspoken Truth About the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, NFL Post-June 1 Designation: What, Why, and How, Best Head Coaches in the NFL 2023: Andy Reid, Bill Belichick, and John Harbaugh Battle Atop Rankings. Still, the Bengals have some decent talent at the position, which should help lead to success over the middle of the field as teams key in on the best receiving group in the AFC North, in my opinion. 14) Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers Stats: 52 receptions, 471 yards, four touchdowns. Mike Gesicki is not your fathers tight end. 2 tight end that was brought into the fold in free agency from the Kansas City Chiefs, but he has just 57 career catches in five seasons. Uzomah, New York Jets Uzomah . So theres some holes there. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. 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. The Bengals did not re-sign veteran C.J. Chase Claypool has the athletic profile and draft pedigree to take a massive leap entering his third year, but the quarterback carousel likely puts a small damper on fantasy expectations. Said another way there is a possibility we are seeing Chase and Higgins going over-drafted in season-long drafts currently, particularly considering the balanced approach shown by this offense in competitive games. AFC North 2022 Position Rankings: Tight End, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta gives update on WR Rashod Bateman, RB J.K. Dobbins, The Ravens GM covered the injury and surgery of Rashod Bateman, and the exciting 2023 season for J.K. Dobbins, NFLPA poll votes Ravens strength staff as the NFLs worst. With Tyreek Hill gone, Kelce will become an even more critical asset for the Chiefs. That increased pass volume, paired with a young wide receiver group, led to tight end Mark Andrews finishing as the fantasy TE1 on an absurd for the Ravens 154 targets. They drafted a pair of fourth-round picks at the position in Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely, and still have Nick Boyle in-house returning to full health. The parity should continue into the 2022-23 campaign. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson connect to go the length of the field for a big-time NFC Pro Bowl Team touchdown. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Either should continue to live in that short-to-intermediate range of the field, further boosting the likely volume for Diontae underneath. You'll now receive the top Packers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Share your own below and join in on the conversation in the comments! Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. As in, Clowney is one of the defensive leaders, and when paired with Myles Garrett, forms one of the top pass-rush duos in the league. Ertzs career-high target mark is 156, and while he probably wont even reach that figure again, he could be in for 130-140 looks in 2022. . First-year Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has suggested Gesicki will be used more as a blocker in 2022. 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. Most notably, Taylor calls plays on the offensive side, and Anarumos defense has continued to over-perform based on the talent and experience of the players available to him. Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed games, the team started 12 different offensive linemen over the course of the season, defensive backs were falling like flies, and 18 running backs were injured before the start of the season (kidding, but thats what it seemed like), and the starting linebacking unit played very few snaps together over the course of the season. Freiermuth was targeted at the highest clip (61.0 percent) and accumulated his most yardage (345) on throws from 0-9 yards downfield. Buy Seahawks Tickets 1. We are about two weeks from the NFL's new league year. 22) Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals Hes an absolute monster over the middle of the field, one that stretches the seam and consistently wins down the field. We will be breaking down every division and giving you our predictions on how things will play out! These are the 2022 draft grades for the AFC North. Thats an especially vital skill in a San Francisco offense that ran the ball at the fourth-highest clip in the league in 2021. Led by second-year starter Joe Burrow, the Bengals made it all the way back to the Super Bowl and were a few plays away from capturing their first win, but ultimately fell to the . He was a tough, durable leader on the Bengals young offense, one that consistently made plays for the Bengals under quarterback Joe Burrow. 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). Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry's short TD puts AFC ahead before halftime in second flag football contest. 26)Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kansas City brought in receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore, but Kelce should comfortably lead the team in targets next year. While Kelce aligns in-line enough. 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. 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. 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. He has also posted respectable run-blocking grades in excess of 60.0 on four of five career seasons. Cap Space (as of April 19) $13.3 million. Skinny: On Tuesday I made the case that Miller deserves to be in the top 10, but he finished at No. 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.