Dalton Schultz had an up and down season last year. With the Dallas Cowboys, he was capable of the best and the worst. Sometimes it is invisible. Sometimes he changes the look of a match all by himself. It is impossible to include Schultz in the same category as Travis Kelce, George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson. Nevertheless, he gets a little closer each season. He was a perfect match for the Cowboys offense. It will be interesting to see how he is used among the Texans. Barring a turnaround, the Texans should draft a franchise quarterback with the second overall pick in the next draft. Schultz should be the main target for this quarter. Even if the team is less complete, he will be put forward more in Houston.
Waller was one of the most disappointing players of the past season. Many poolers must still regret having selected it much too early. He missed half of the Las Vegas Raiders’ games due to injury, but he still had just three touchdowns. The Giants gave up only a third-round pick to get it. If Waller can become the dominant tight end he was in 2020, New Yorkers will have a good game. They are building an offense that looks like an offense that can aspire to a long run in the playoffs. Along with Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and Darius Slayton, Waller is one more arrow in Brian Daboll’s bow. He was once considered one of the top five tight ends in the league. There’s no better place to recapture that status than in New York with the Giants.
The slide continues for Jonnu Smith. After a fantastic season with the Tennessee Titans in 2020, it was legitimate to believe that he would establish himself as a top target in New England. It was not the case. He went from producing eight touchdowns to just one in 2021. At least if his blocking work was above average there would be a way to make up for his poor offensive production, but that’s not the case. . The Patriots traded the 27-year-old to the Atlanta Falcons for a meager seventh-round pick. Smith will have to be patient in Georgia, as he will face Kyle Pitts, one of the most promising young tight ends of his generation.
After Adam Thielen, the Panthers added another colossus to catch passes from the still-unknown quarterback. With the Cincinnati Bengals, Hurst did not evolve in a structure favoring him, there were so many targets available for Joe Burrow. Hurst remains an interesting tight end. Without breaking everything, he maintains a constant performance and he is good without the ball. He will be highlighted more with the Panthers. The organization still gave him a three-year contract worth $21.75 million. Either they actually trust him or they desperately needed a tight end. Either way, it’s good news for Hurst. He will be able to evolve within a team allowing him to be highlighted.
The New England Patriots have a rich history at tight end. However, since the departure of Rob Gronkowski, Bill Belichick has been looking for the rare pearl. Mike Gesicki will not forget the big number 87, but he will certainly be able to fill in the gaps in the offensive led by Mac Jones. The former Miami Dolphins has proven he can handle more responsibility over the past two seasons. For a 6’6″, 247 lb colossus, Gesicki is nimble. He can break up tackles and get rid of covers. He can secure catches at key moments and gain multiple yards after the catch. Extremely competitive, the man with a sometimes boiling character will bring a little freshness to the Pats offensive.
