The Saints are no stranger to turnover at tight end, but they head into the 2021 season with as much change as they've seen at the position in a decade.
With both Jared Cook and longtime Saint Josh Hill leaving this offseson, New Orleans is guaranteed to see a new starter at the position, and a handful of others will vie for roles on the offense.
Scroll below for the latest in our Saints roster breakdown series heading into the start of training camp practice this week.
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MORE INFO/UPCOMING
- QUARTERBACKS (click here for more)
- RUNNING BACKS (click here for more)
- WIDE RECEIVERS (click here for more)
- OFFENSIVE LINE (up next)
- DEFENSIVE LINE
- CORNERBACKS/SAFETIES
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THE TIGHT END ROOM
ADAM TRAUTMAN
Saints TE Adam TrautmanUSAT ImagesAGE: 24
NUMBER: 82
COLLEGE: Dayton
YEARS IN NFL: 1
2020 SEASON: 15 catches, 171 yards, TD
NOTES: Jared Cook: Gone. Josh Hill: Gone. Is Adam Trautman going to hook the Saints' starting tight end role in Year 2? The deck seems stacked in favor of the second-year TE out of Dayton, drafted in the third round by the Saints a year ago. Trautman saw his role expand throughout the 2020 season, scoring his lone career touchdown in a Week 8 demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and standing out as an in-line blocker.
Trautman also represented an important TE ability ... his dependability. As a rookie he was targeted just 16 times, catching 15 without a drop. With the necessary part of his TE duties already spoken for, can the 24-year-old embody his Flyer roots to challenge defenses downfield the way Cook did for the past two seasons? We'll get a lot of the info needed to answer that question over the next few weeks.
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NICK VANNETT
Saints TE Nick Vannett© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY SportsAGE: 28
NUMBER: 81
COLLEGE: Ohio State
YEARS IN NFL: 6
2020 SEASON (Broncos): 14 catches, 95 yards, TD
NOTES: It'd be unlike the Saints to head into a season without at least one big, veteran tight end. That's exactly what they got in Vannett, who began his career with the Seattle Seahawks before jetsetting for the past two seasons. The Saints are the former Ohio State Buckeye's 4th team in the past three seasons. His best year came with Seattle in 2019 when he caught 29 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns.
While Vannett is a good bet to have a role, particularly in blocking sets, it'd be surprising to see him push to unseat Trautman atop the depth chart.
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GARRETT GRIFFIN
Saints TE Garrett Griffin© John David Mercer-USA TODAY SportsAGE: 27
NUMBER: 45
COLLEGE: Air Force
YEARS IN NFL: 3
2020 SEASON: No offensive stats recorded
NOTES: Garrett Griffin saw game action in 2020 for the first time since his playoff touchdown against the Rams in the 2017 season, but he didn't record any stats in his 91 offensive snaps. He also saw work on special teams. Griffin wouldn't be a candidate for more than a blocking role, but his special teams work could be a key to making the final roster.
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DYLAN SOEHNER
Saints TE Dylan Soehner© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY SportsAGE: 23
NUMBER: 89
COLLEGE: Iowa State
DRAFTED: UDFA signing
NOTES: Last year the Saints drafted Tommy Stevens in the 7th and attempted to convert him from QB to TE, eventually cutting him in the preseason. This time around they dipped into the UDFA pool for a HUGE-bodied tight end with limited college production. Soehner was limited with an ankle injury late in the year, but caught just 18 passes for 205 yards in a system that featured three TEs regularly. Still, at 6-foot-7, 272 pounds and with a 4.72 40-yard dash reported at his pro day, it's no surprise why the Saints are happy to see what the big guy can do at the NFL level.
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ETHAN WOLF
Saints TE Ethan WolfADAM LAU/NEWS SENTINEL-KnoxvilleAGE: 25
NUMBER: 86
COLLEGE: Tennessee
YEARS IN NFL: 1
2020 SEASON: DNP
NOTES: The Saints signed Ethan Wolf last August, but he's yet to see NFL action in his young career. Previously Wolf spent four productive seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers, hauling in 91 passes for 998 yards and 7 touchdowns. He'll be squarely on the roster bubble this camp.
Another Wolf brother, Eli, is also an NFL tight end as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
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JEFF'S TAKE
The greatest intrigue in this positional race is in the number of TEs the Saints keep on the 53-man roster. Here's how that's broken down the past five seasons:
- 2020: 3 (Jared Cook; Josh Hill; Adam Trautman)
- 2019: 2 (Jared Cook; Josh Hill)
- 2018: 3 (Ben Watson; Josh Hill; Dan Arnold)
- 2017: 3 (Coby Fleener; Josh Hill; Michael Hoomanawanui)
- 2016: 3 (Coby Fleener; Josh Hill; Chris Manhertz)
If the Saints go the route of 2019, which could be the case considering a need for bodies elsewhere on the roster, the betting money would have to be on Trautman and Vannett to take those spots.
If the Saints go the typical route and keep three players, the race gets more interesting. All three of Soehner, Griffin and Hunt could potentially serve that depth role. I'd give Griffin the slight edge if it comes down to special teams.
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Follow Jeff Nowak on Twitter @Jeff_Nowak or contact him by email at jeffrey.nowak@audacy.com
