As the NFL offseason heads toward free agency and the draft, all 32 teams must assess their own talent before they begin anew the roster-building process. With that in mind, WEEI.com is taking a position-by-position look at the state of the Patriots roster as the team embarks one of the most important offseasons in franchise history.
Tight end
Returning players (GS/GP, 2020 offensive play time): Devin Asiasi (3/9, 21 percent), Dalton Keene (0/6, 14 percent), Matt LaCosse (COVID opt-out), Ryan Izzo (12/12, 62 percent), Rashod Berry (0/3, 0 percent)
Free agents: None
2020 recap: This past fall was essentially another lost season at the tight end position in New England. All told, the lackluster depth chart of journeyman-type veterans and unproven mid-round rookies once again failed to produce. The Patriots got an abysmal 18 receptions for 254 yards with one touchdown from the tight end spot. Making things worse, Rob Gronkowski came out of retirement in Tampa Bay to play all 20 Bucs games (including postseason), to catch nine touchdowns, including a pair in their Super Bowl win. The former seventh-round pick Izzo “led” the Patriots tight ends with 13 catches for 199 yards before he landed on IR. Third-round picks Asiasi and Keene saw limited action and brought even more limited production. The rookies combined for five catches for 54 yards and one score (from Asiasi in the finale), numbers that don’t even measure up to Gronk’s work in the Super Bowl alone. The lack of impact production from the tight end position was one of the many problems the Patriots passing offense dealt with in 2020.
2021 projection: As has been the case since Gronkowski announced his retirement two years ago this March, New England’ tight end position remains a major uncertainty heading into 2021. Asiasi is the most hopeful of the options on the current roster given his one productively-impressive season at UCLA. He also ended the year with at least a hint of momentum with the 26-yard TD in the season finale. Asiasi was obviously hindered by the lack of a real offseason, dealing with the death of a friend during the season and minor injuries. Given a hopefully more traditional offseason of work, his potential can’t be ruled out. But what’s his ceiling? A No. 1 tight end? Maybe, but more realistically he’s probably part of a tandem at the position at best. Keene also had limited contributions as a rookie after a college career built on versatility at Virginia Tech. Certainly he could and should be more of an option in his sophomore season, but his upside seems to be rather limited in terms of being a weapon in the passing game. Beyond that are more questions than would-be answers. The five-year veteran LaCosse returns after opting out of the season. He probably is what he is at this point, a guy with 40 catches in 33 career games. Izzo returns from IR after failing to really take advantage of his significant playing time this fall. Berry is a practice squad project with talents on both sides of the ball. A real optimist might say a depth chart of Asiasi, LaCosse and Izzo is at least competitive. A realist probably thinks the Patriots have zero options to actually count on at tight end moving forward. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
Draft/free agency need – Relatively High: Even if Asiasi reaches his athletic potential, there remains needed additions at the tight end spot. The expectation is that free agency and salary cap cuts could litter the open market with plenty of veteran tight end options. Bill Belichick’s admiration for Hunter Henry is well documented. But is he really going to break the bank for the Chargers star? More likely, Belichick will target a more value-based veteran option with the hopes of pairing that guy with Asiasi to create a more productive arsenal. Looking at the tight end spot in the draft – the dream of Florida’s elite playmaker Kyle Pitts falling to No. 15 is fading fast – can’t be ruled out. Mid- and late-round tight end targets have been common over the years in Belichick’s drafts. Regardless of how it plays out, New England almost certainly needs to add at least one above-average tight end option to the less-than-impressive depth chart this spring.