NFL free agents 2021: Top 10 tight ends
Having a good tight end is more important now than it ever has been in the NFL. And the Patriots had, arguably, the worst tight ends in the NFL last year, as their options at the position logged just 18 catches on the year in total.If they want to improve at that spot, they'll have to consider signing one of the top-10 tight ends in what's shaping up to be a solid free-agent class.
Age: 26
2020 Stats: 60 catches, 631 yards, four touchdowns
Henry was a rock-solid weapon for Justin Herbert and the Chargers last year. He started a career-high 14 games and set a career-best mark in catches and targets (93) last year. Henry is young, athletic, and has good size (6-foot-5, 250 pounds). He does have some injury concerns, as he's never played a full 16-game campaign, but he has played at least 12 games in four of his five NFL seasons. He will be one of the most coveted tight ends on the market after the Chargers chose not to slap him with the franchise tag.
Age: 31
2020 Stats: 45 catches, 623 yards, seven touchdowns
What else is there to say about Gronk? He's arguably the best tight end to ever play the game and though he started last year slowly, he came on at the end of the year and was a key part of the Bucs offensive attack in the Super Bowl. He's still a top-notch blocker, too. It's hard to imagine Gronk leaving Tampa Bay so long as Brady's there, so expect him to re-sign with the Bucs.
Age: 25
2020 Stats: 41 catches, 448 yards, eight receiving touchdowns, one rushing touchdown
Smith is big, strong, fast, and is among the NFL's best athletes at the tight end position. He is uniquely versatile and excels as a pass catcher and multi-faceted red-zone threat. He can catch passes down there but also has proven to be a decent runner out of the backfield on occasion, rushing for 82 yards on six carries the last two years. Our own Phil Perry indicated that the Patriots could be interested in Smith in a recent mailbag.
Age: 26
2020 Stats: 52 catches, 586 yards, 11 touchdowns
Tonyan burst onto the scene last year as one of Aaron Rodgers' top weapons during his MVP year. Tonyan was a massive red-zone threat and caught 88.1 percent of the targets thrown his way. Odds are that Tonyan, a restricted free agent, will stay with the Green Bay Packers, but perhaps a team with enough cap space could make the well-rounded 6-foot-5 player an offer that would be tough for the Packers to match.
Age: 33
2020 Stats: 37 catches, 504 yards, seven touchdowns
Cook proved to be extremely effective in his 12th NFL season, and his yards per catch average of 13.6 was the third-highest mark of his career to date. He won't necessarily be a long-term option for any team that signs him given his age, but he has still proven to be a quality starter and has retained his athletic ability over the years. Plus, he's durable and has only missed 14 games during his entire career.
Age: 31
2020 Stats: 28 catches, 334 receiving yards, one touchdown
Rudolph had to fight with Irv Smith Jr. for playing time last season, so that explains why he had a bit of a down year. That said, the 6-foot-6 TE is one of the better blockers on this list and that should allow him to keep playing well and effectively into his mid-30s. He has never been a big-play threat (9.9 yards per catch average) but he can be a quality red-zone threat and has reliable hands. And during his last six seasons, Rudoph has missed just four total games. He could be a target for the Patriots.
Age: 26
2020 Stats: 41 catches, 417 yards, one touchdown
Everett was a former second-round pick by Sean McVay and the Rams, but he tended to play second fiddle to Tyler Higbee at the position. Still, he's a great athlete and receiving option and with more opportunities, he could emerge as a quality starter. In some ways, he's a poor man's version of Jonnu Smith. Perhaps if he's getting more targets, he could be poised for a breakout year. He's definitely a sleeper to watch on the market.
Age: 25
2020 Stats: 31 catches, 438 yards, four touchdowns
Arnold is a pure receiving tight end. He has a 6-foot-6 frame but tips the scales at just 220 pounds, so he's not much of a blocker. He broke out in a big way for the Cardinals last year, setting career-bests in all major receiving categories. Arnold has averaged 14 yards per catch during his career, a big number for a tight end, so he may draw interest as a rare big-bodied deep-threat at the position.
Age: 29
2020 Stats: 28 catches, 250 yards, three receiving touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns
Burton is a solid option at the tight end position and was the lead man for the Colts' committee for part of the year. He is a good all-around talent and can play in the backfield as a Wildcat quarterback, as Patriots fans know all too well from the famed "Philly Special" play. Burton is probably best served as a high-end backup that can be a multi-faceted role player for whatever team signs him.
Age: 29
2020 Stats: 24 catches, 345 yards, two touchdowns
After struggling to stay healthy for a couple of years, Rodgers played very well when asked to fill in for injured Eagles starters Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. He should draw some interest as a restricted free agent after averaging 14.4 yards per catch, but his durability issues mostly make him a backup.
