The 2022 NFL has been flying by and before you know it, we’ll be looking toward the 2023 rookie class and the 2023 NFL season. While everyone is excited for the 2023 NFL Draft, headlined by Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Bijan Robinson, let’s not forget about the upcoming free agent class.
The top seven list below consists of only free agents. Potential cap casualty tight ends such as Taysom Hill and Tyler Higbee will be mentioned, but not included. Continue reading and check out the Top 7 Free Agent Tight Ends for 2023.
1) Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys
Going into the offseason a year ago, Dalton Shultz was looking to sign a long-term deal after being hit with the franchise tag. After a season of 78 receptions (104 targets), 808 yards, and eight touchdowns many were thinking a long-term deal would pan out. The Cowboys and Schultz couldn’t come to a long-term deal and Schultz signed his one-year franchise tag ($10.931M) for the 2022 season.
The Cowboys would probably like to keep him but with about $9M in cap space, they have other needs that need to be addressed. Many teams will be after Schultz’s services this off-season.
Potential Landing Spots: Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys
2) Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
One thing a lot of players did going into the 2022 season was to take one-year deals and bet on themselves. After a down season (46 receptions, 408 yards, one touchdown) Evan Engram signed a prove-it deal for $9M with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s earned that money this year with several big games under his belt, including a 162-yard and two-touchdown game back in Week 14.
Trevor Lawrence is starting to become a well-known name quarterback as he just keeps on improving. The Jaguars are projected $4.5M over the cap for the 2023 season. We ourselves know that the NFL salary cap is just a number that doesn’t really mean anything. Some might even say, it doesn’t exist. Engram is still young at 28 years old and has at least a handful of good years ahead of him. After the way things have gone, he would probably like to stay in Jacksonville if he can.
Potential Landing Spots: Jacksonville Jaguars
3) Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
When looking at pure athleticism, Mike Gesicki is the best tight end available in this year’s market, stats aside. He had a career year in 2021 with 73 receptions, 780 yards, and two touchdowns. When Mike McDaniel came in as head coach I thought Gesicki would be the George Kittle type of player being a part of this Dolphins offense. Unfortunately, that really hasn’t been the case this year as he’s had games with one or no targets all season long.
A change of scenery is a must for Gesicki who only made a big impact back in Week 6 against the Minnesota Vikings where he went for six receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Luckily, Gesicki has been a team player and very positive with his team. Outside of this, Gesicki hasn’t been worth his $10.9M franchise tag, and it looks like he won’t be wearing a Dolphins jersey next year.
Potential Landing Spots: Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals
4) Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals
While it’s been an up-and-down season for the veteran tight end, Hayden Hurst really has put together a solid season. Like many tight ends again, Hayden Hurst signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has put up his best stats since 2019 and fits well in the Bengals’ offense. Sure, he may be the fourth option with this loaded wider receiver room, but when he’s needed he performs. I could see Hurst looking to stay put, even if it’s for a few more years as the Bengals push for another Super Bowl run.
Hayden Hurst is also a close friend of ours here at Faceoff Sports Network. He’s been a guest on our Mental Health Podathon for the past three years and all of the proceeds have gone toward his foundation for mental health. If you don’t know much about it, I encourage you to check it all out here.
Potential Landing Spots: Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders
5) Austin Hooper, Tennessee Titans
When the Cleveland Browns franchise tagged David Njoku, we knew that was the end of Austin Hooper in Cleveland. It was, he like many players signed a one-year deal. Many have heard or will hear the name Chigoziem Okonkwo. He’s an up-and-coming rookie for the Titans and has started to put Hooper on the backburner as the TE2 on the team.
What Hooper has been good for his career has been pass-catching and blocking. What he has been used more of is that of a blocker to help the offense and Derrick Henry. Being that Hooper may not be a tight end many of us expect to go anywhere and produce, but he works differently. Teams who are weak at tackles and need a tight end like Hooper could be willing to pay up for his experienced services.
Potential Landing Spots: Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, New York Giants
6) Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
Over his five-year career in the NFL, Robert Tonyan has only had one good year in 2020 where he caught 52 passes for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. Coming back from his ACL tear Tonyan hasn’t been as effective in the Packers’ offense. If we look at free agency for the Packers, one of their biggest holes is the tight end position. I’m sure Aaron Rodgers would like for him to re-sign, but who knows if Rodgers himself is even coming back. Even so, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tonyan is on his way out.
Potential Landing Spots: Green Bay Packers, San Franciso 49ers
7) Irv Smith, Minnesota Vikings
The former 2019 1st Round pick has been a bust. That’s a bad way of saying it, but when you’re drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, a lot is expected out of you. For one thing, he has been very injury prone as he missed all of 2021 with a meniscus injury. Following what looked like an up-and-coming career in 2020 when Irv Smith had 43 receptions for 365 yards and five touchdowns. Many thought a breakout was coming in 2021 as the tight end was going into that magical third year for tight ends. All that hype, just to be lost for the 2021 season as I recently mentioned. It’s been disappointing, to say the least.
While Smith is still looking to come back some time late this season or next, there is competition as the Minnesota Vikings traded for T.J. Hockenson once Smith went down. Additionally, it didn’t even take long for the Vikings to strike the deal with the Detroit Lions as we found out Smith was going to be out for 8-10 weeks. Smith is pushing to come back, and hopefully, he does. But similar to O.J. Howard, Smith could be one and done as a tight end we know it.
Potential Landing Spots: Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers
Top 10 Free Agent Running Backs for 2023
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