Since taking Rob Gronkowski in the 2010 NFL Draft the Patriots have plucked just two tight ends with their picks — Lee Smith (5th round, 2011) and Ryan Izzo (7th round, 2018). After what we saw in 2019, it might be time to revisit using one of those top picks for the position.
The Patriots suffered through some of the NFL's worst production from the tight end position in 2019, having to lean on Ben Watson and Matt LaCosse. It is why it is a worthy exercise to see what might be available when it comes to tight ends in this April's Draft.
While there aren't seemingly any slam dunks at the position — (there have been nine first-round picks used on tight ends since 2010, with four drafts not seeing a single tight end picked in the first-round) — there are some intriguing candidates who seem to fit what the Patriots might be looking for.
Check out some options in the slideshow above.
Potential answers to Patriots' tight end problem 1

Potential answers to Patriots' tight end problem 2

Potential answers to Patriots' tight end problem 3

Potential answers to Patriots' tight end problem 4

Potential answers to Patriots' tight end problem 5

Potential answers to Patriots' tight end problem 6






