The tight endage cometh, and boy oh boy, does it!
Okay, so I guess I should hold my horses there a little, with the seventh game on the horizon the Patriots are 2-4 with just 4 tight end touchdowns. Well, to be fair, that’s more than 2019 and 2020 put together… Oof!
And so, on this day of National Tight Ends celebration, I thought I would plot the path 2021 has seen of its tight endage.
Cast your mind back to earlier this year. The Patriots had Ryan Izzo, Matt LaCosse, Devin Asiasi, and Dalton Keene as rostered tight ends. Then they signed Jonnu Smith, and Patriots Nation rejoiced – some tight end production was in our future! Two rookies going into their second year, one could argue it may be a little bit more like their first, due to a lot of covid restrictions and injuries, but still.
What was next? Hunter Henry, baby! Coach Bill surprised many, and scooped up the guy he had been following since his college days, and we were soon to see why!
During the spring practices, training camps and such, we saw the likes of Troy Fumagalli, a decent tight end from Denver who always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when it came to position depth, and although some good showing, Fumagalli unfortunately suffered an injury, and failed to make the roster. David Wells, previously of the Kansas City Chiefs, danced around in New England in 2020, and was back again for another spin around the floor in 2021, but it didn’t quite stick.
Ryan Izzo was shipped off to Houston for a seventh round 2022 draft pick, and the whole of Patriots Nation cried… okay, okay, I cried, just me.
Matt LaCosse found his way onto the practice squad, and with the way players who sat out of the 2020 season had been given the chop, at least he got to stay in New England. Where, to be fair, he had a rather good spring camp, possibly what secured his spot with the Patriots still.
So, the roster cup still floweth over with tight endage, two rookies and two free agency signed veterans.
Unfortunately, Dalton Keene suffered more injury setbacks and started training camp on the PUP list only to undergo season-ending knee surgery. His return in 2022 could see Keene with a fight on his hands, a very unfortunate situation, but he really hasn’t shown much, or had much chance to, and either way, we won’t be seeing him as a Patriot for 2021.
And then there were three to run those two tight end packages. Could I be any more excited (yes you need to hear that in the tone of Chandler Bing from Friends).
And this is where excitement has moved to puzzlement for many Patriots fans.
Devin Asiasi has not played a regular season game in 2021. He has continued to be on the inactive list for every game. A healthy scratch most would say, but is there something we just don’t know?
Are Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith just more tight endage than the Patriots need?
The fact that the combined receptions and yardage matches 2019’s tight end figures, and exceeds 2020’s already, and they have only played six games does say a lot, and not just about the tight ends, but the quarterback too. Makes 2021 the year of tight endage an easier sell, huh?
Okay, I’m being a little presumptuous with my glass 99% full again, but it’s National Tight Ends Day, and I like tight ends and I can not lie – I’m sure there’s a t-shirt with that on it somewhere…
Much love to you all for National Tight Ends Day!
