Late Round Tight Ends: NFC

Not one of these tight ends can currently be found inside the top 20 of draft rankings, but that doesn’t mean they can’t end up in the top 10. These late round picks offer all the upside without the high price tags…

Hayden Hurst, Falcons
Yes, rookie TE Kyle Pitts is all the rage in Atlanta right now, but Hurst has been in Atlanta for a year, 6 TDs in 2020, and the Falcons no longer have target vacuum Julio Jones at their disposal. It’s all hands on deck and Hurst has two good ones. With no premier running back and a new OC in Arthur Smith who coached a Titans team last season that was 4th in dropbacks with two TEs on the field, Hurst is going to be more useful than he looks and he’ll come at a fraction of Pitts’ price tag.

Dan Arnold, Panthers
The Panthers recently signed Arnold for a 2-year, 6 million dollar deal to be their receiving TE. Arnold had a decent year as a part-time role-player for the Cardinals last year, posting 438 yards and 4 TDs on 31 receptions, and the Cardinals don’t use their TEs much. In Carolina, Arnold will be reunited with OC Joe Brady who he played under in New Orleans. QB Sam Darnold has a bevy of options to work with this season, but a sure-handed TE is a young QB’s best friend.

Adam Trautman, Saints
Jared Cook is now a Charger, so Trautman is first in line as the Saints’ starting TE. Prognosticators have been speculating as to which receiver is going to be the no.2 option behind Michael Thomas, but it may very well be Trautman who becomes the second most popular, (or third behind Alvin Kamara), pass-catcher in the New Orleans offense. Trautman’s stock will probably rise in the ensuing weeks, but right now he can be had for peanuts in drafts. With the news that Michael Thomas will likely miss the first six weeks of the season, Trautman’s arrow is pointed up more than any other player relative to current ADP.

Gerald Everett, Seahawks
Seattle OC Shane Waldron brought Everett with him from Los Angeles, where he competed with Tyler Higbee for targets. Everett may face some competition from last year’s early season darling Will Dissly, but Everett is faster, stronger and has that history with Waldron. HC Pete Carroll has lauded the skills of Everett and thinks his current team’s TE/WR combo is the best he’s had. It’s a good idea to get a piece of it, and Everett will be the cheapest get.