The NFL Draft saw a drove of tight ends splash new depth charts plus hint at the future of the position for franchises. Here are the most significant stories at the position coming out of the 2024 NFL Draft:
5. Theo Johnson Added by Giants as Darren Waller Insurance
Darren Waller's 'one foot out the door' status all offseason connects well with the Giants taking a shot on a mid-round tight end like the athletic Theo Johnson in the draft. Daniel Bellinger has had moments, but not enough to declare him the straight-forward benefactor should Waller retire. Waller is still the best option for fantasy option of the three should he play in 2024, but project the odds at lower than 50%.
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4. Jared Wiley: The New Noah Gray
The new Noah Gray can be both a positive and a negative for Jared Wiley, being added by Kansas City on Day 3. Gray has played out most of his rookie contract with Travis Kelce still cooking as a productive player. Wiley resets the clock on a rookie contract, and Kelce could be retired by 2025 or 2026 to paint an optimistic brush on Wiley's developmental timeline. The bad news is Day 3 is a tough tight end bucket to view as the heir to a starting job and Gray has turned out to be a marginal tight end on the NFL landscape in his early years. The good news for Wiley is Gray is not on the "heir to Kelce" pathway and offers Wiley a shot at the moniker with a few splash moments and likely outlasting Gray in Kansas City as an incumbent option.
3. Ben Sinnott Secures Round 2 Pedigree and Open Depth Chart
Sinnott had one of the best profiles of the class and was rewarded as the second tight end off the board in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Sinnott also nabbed an accessible Washington depth chart with Zach Ertz (yes, he is still in the NFL) in pencil atop the position. Sinnott will have every expectation to win the job by 2025 at the latest and potentially during 2024, pending Ertz's health and how quickly Sinnott can progress. Sinnott's bolstered pedigree and landing spot are a significant boost for those in 2TE or strong-scoring premium rookie drafts and targeting Sinnott in Round 2 of those formats.