With the NFL well into their offseason, one team that has been dormant is the New England Patriots.
As we know, the Patriots have been known to not pay free agents big money. Only on rare occasions do we find head coach Bill Belichick giving a huge payday, but it is not often. However, with their rather quiet free agency, it is always a question as to where the biggest holes are for this team. One of these biggest holes is at the tight end position, and this hole expanded with the retirement of 29-year old Rob Gronkowski.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRZD4sHjc4M
The five-time Pro Bowler has always come through for the Patriots when he is needed most. But there is no doubt that his body has taken a toll on him. After the Patriots captured yet another Super Bowl title, there were and still are rumors that Gronkowski would finally step away from the game. Now, he is officially calling it quits.
This is why the tight end position is one of the top positions the Patriots must address most. This starts with the NFL Draft. With the plethora of picks New England has, a top priority must be to snag Iowa product, Noah Fant.
Coach Belichick is able to work with any set of receivers on his roster, but the tight end spot is one that had solely been for Gronkowski. The transition starts with young Fant.
Fant has proven to have great draft stock, as well as a beautiful scouting report. Last season at Iowa, Fant had an above average season. He totaled 519 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games. Despite the not-amazing numbers, his film is enough to show us what he is truly about.
Strengths
This film exposes the type of player Fant is on the football field, and it is one perfect for the likes of Josh McDaniel’s offense. Fant is a very fast player for his position. He put up a 4.50 40-yard dash time which was the best among tight ends. In addition to being fast, he is just a mismatch on the field (similar to Gronkowski). At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Fant is realistically a smaller version of Gronk, but effective nonetheless. This holds true as his size and speed proved to be too much for other safeties and linebackers within the Big Ten conference.
Fant is also a red-zone weapon. If his film shows anything, it is that he is a go-to guy when in the red zone. Against teams like Wisconsin, Indiana and Northern Iowa, he simply was unstoppable. Whether it is third or fourth down, he has proven to be a threat in the red-zone territory. Fant is also a quality route runner who is both athletic and able to adjust to the ball well.
Weaknesses
Fant is not the perfect player though, as he is a rather poor blocker. His technique and strength are parts of his game that need much improvement. That would be a downgrade from Gronkowski, who is a great blocker. Team sources say he has also had his share of off-field issues in regards to maturity.
Regardless, these are issues are that Patriots have dealt with before. Under New England’s system, Fant would be pushed to exceed his limits and improve his character.
Tying It All Together
Long story short, of all the spots that need filling, the tight end position must be addressed first. Tight end Noah Fant is the right fit for this squad. In addition to this, Fant has the potential to grow with one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL.
Gronk’s retirement leaves the perfect spot for Fant to slide into.
And it leaves him with the perfect quarterback.
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