The tight end spot is a major concern for the New England Patriots entering the offseason. As of now, only Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo are under contract with the Patriots while veteran Ben Watson is expected to retire for the second time in his career. Last season, the Patriots struggled at tight end in their first season without Rob Gronkowski, who surprised the team last offseason when he announced his retirement after a nine-year stay in New England. Watson, Izzo and LaCosse combined for just 36 passes for 418 yards and two touchdowns. So expect the Patriots to go after quality tight ends, either via trade, the free agency market or even in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Earlier, it was reported that the Patriots could take LSU tight end Thaddeus Moss, son of Hall of Famer Randy Moss, on the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft to beef up their tight end corps. It was also mentioned that the Patriots could pursue Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper in the free-agent market to give veteran quarterback Tom Brady another weapon on offense in order to convince him to stay in New England.
Ravens have a surplus at tight end
The Patriots are reportedly eyeing Baltimore Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst via a pre-Draft trade, per Eugene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union. According to Frenette, the Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars are both exploring potential swaps for Hurst, per a report by Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston.
Patriots, Jaguars exploring pre-draft trade for @Ravens TE Hayden Hurst, but whether it happens will depend on what draft capital teams r willing to part with. Hurst, who Jags we’re going to draft in 2018 ,told me 2 months ago he wants opportunity to catch more passes. Stay tuned
— Eugene Frenette (@GeneFrenette) February 24, 2020
The Ravens have a surplus at tight end as they also have Nick Boyle and Mark Andrews in their depth chart.
In terms of production, Hurst caught just 42 passes for 512 yards and three scores since he was taken 25th overall by the Ravens in 2018 While Hurst’s production is decent in a run-heavy offense by the Ravens anchored on speedy quarterback Lamar Jackson, he could thrive in a pass-heavy offense like the Patriots. According to Frenette, Hurst told him that he wants an opportunity to catch more passes.
Last season, Andrews caught 64 passes for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns while Hurst had 30 catches for 349 yards and two scores.
Scarnecchia to help Patriots in Combine
Long-time Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia announced his retirement recently after a 36-year coaching stint, 34 of which he spent in New England. However, Scarnecchia looks like he won’t be enjoying his retirement as he is reportedly headed to Indianapolis to assist the Patriots in the NFL Scouting Combine. Per a report by Ben Volin of The Boston Globe, the 72-year-old Scarnecchia is on a flight from Boston to Indianapolis on the day of the NFL Scouting Combine. The development wasn’t a surprise since Scarnecchia also helped the Patriots scout during his first retirement following the 2013 NFL season, according to a report by Zack Cox of the New England Sports Network. The Patriots have yet to replace Scarnecchia, with Carmne Bricillo and Cole Popovich as top in-house candidates for the offensive line coach job.
