(03-21-2022, 09:54 PM)Upper Wrote:

(03-21-2022, 09:33 PM)Bullseye Wrote: Question:  If I recall correctly (and please correct me if I don't) you were strongly against Friermuth at the bottom of the first and in the 2nd last year.

Do you just not like TEs taken higher than the 3rd?

In very rare instances like Pitts perhaps, but in general no. TE development curves are very slow. They very frequently don't contribute anything significant until their second contract, often for another team. Even the elite ones that were drafted in the first round rarely hit.

Here are the last dozen 1st round TE: Pitts, Fant, Hurst, Njoku, Engram, Howard, Ebron, Eifert, Gresham, Pettigrew, Keller. Not exactly murderers row.

Freiermuth does appear to be on a trajectory to be an outlier, but I very much don't like gambling on outliers. I am team draft freak athlete TE on day 3 (pray Jelani drops but more likely Bellinger) and sign FA TE. I wanted badly to sign one of Henry or Jonnu last year and I think Engram was by far our best FA value, even if I have serious concerns about how to fit him on the field with Kirk.

I can understand that.

The 3rd round seems to be the sweet spot to find good TEs.  However, given our circumstances, I am not averse to taking a TE earlier.

A couple of observations on Engram:

1.  No he has not had a stellar career thus far, but to my surprise, he actually made a Pro Bowl (for whatever that is worth these days.  Though he is far from perfect, I am inclined to believe he suffered some from poor QB play and possibly poor scheme.  I think assuming good health, you will see a better Engram this year than we've have seen in the first part of his career.

2.  I envision Engram to not be a traditional Y, but more of a move TE to be used similarly to Mike Gesicki-often split out wide or otherwise off the LOS.  Accordingly, I think if the team drafts a TE this year, they'll be more likely to draft either Tre McBride or Jelani Woods than a move TE like Isaiah Likely or or Dulcich to help facilitate that.  Manhertz offers nothing in the passing game, and I don't think Arnold is a true Y.

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