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Patriots Positional Preview: Tight Ends

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Training camp is less than two weeks away and we’re starting to wrap up our positional preview excerpts from this year’s season preview book. With just a few position groups to go, today we’re taking a look at the tight ends.

This is one of the few areas where there will be a significant personnel change from 2016, with Dwayne Allen being swapped in for Martellus Bennett. Bennett’s ability to ably fill in for Rob Gronkowski was one of the big factors in getting the Pats their fifth Super Bowl.

Many pundits tried to sell us that without Gronk the Pats just weren’t dynamic enough to win the big one, but Bennett helped prove that theory wrong.

If Gronk plays the entire season it won’t really matter all that much how well Allen assimilates, but Belichick has had high praise for the former Colt so it will be interesting to see his role in the offense, which I expect to be a versatile one.

There could also be a roster spot to be had by a third tight end, a job that would have to be won in training camp. Draft weekend trade acquisition James O’Shaughnessy could be a favorite along with Matt Lengel, who was acquired and played some snaps after Gronk was lost in 2016.

Let’s take a closer look at the tight ends.

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Patriots Begin Team Building

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It hasn’t been flashy but the Patriots have begun building their 2017 squad as the “legal tampering period” opens. The initial moves started with the re-signing of James Develin, who didn’t even need to hit the open market.


Develin is the ultimate game plan piece and if you don’t love having a big fullback on the roster you don’t love football. Belichick loves Develin’s toughness so there’s little surprise the Pats were able to lock up Develin so quickly. Develin played 31 percent of the offensive snaps and 33 percent of the special teams snaps, showing that while he’s not an every down guy he does plenty of the dirty work that wins football games.

The Pats have also started tendering their restricted free agents, with Justin Coleman, Cameron Fleming and Matt Lengel the first to be announced. I’ll keep updating this post as others are announced, including the biggest one, Malcolm Butler, who is almost assured of getting a first-round tender.

Coleman had a promising rookie year but fell off the map in 2016, playing 226 total snaps. But with Logan Ryan likely departing there’s good reason to keep Coleman around. Let’s remember Ryan fell off the map in 2014 after a solid rookie campaign. Coleman could bounce back. He has good physicality and sometimes a year on the bench can help a player grow.

Lengel was acquired after Gronk went down, and ended up playing in six games with two catches, one which went for a touchdown. He adds much needed depth at the tight end position. Most of us seem to agree the Pats should be active in the draft for a tight end, assuming they’ll have to replace Marty Bennett. But Lengel gives them experienced insurance in a blocking role that will be valuable.

Fleming is a good third tackle who also filled in at left tackle last season. He has versatility to play both sides and is a solid depth piece. I’d still love to add another athletic tackle, but keeping Fleming was a no-brainer.

Other restricted free agents to come today: Butler and Brandon King. All should be retained as well.