What do you pay a decent tight end?

joseephuss

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Over the past several years, the tight end position seemed to be a murky position in which to invest. How do you go about getting a quality player? Draft someone and let them develop or go find a free agent.

Some of the money I've seen spent of tight ends hasn't really made a lot of sense to me the past few seasons. For example, in 2019 the Rams signed Tyler Higbee to a 4 year $31 million extension. A lot of money at the time for a player who hadn't done anything his first 3 years in the league. He has improved the last few years, but still isn't a top TE in the league. I know roughly $8 million per season isn't a lot compared to Kelce or Kittle salaries, but the production isn't there, either.

Sometimes it has to do with timing when it comes to how much a player gets.. The Browns made Austin Hooper the highest paid tight end a couple of years ago. He has not been good the past 2 seasons and of course other big names have since signed larger contracts.

The Patriots signed two guys to big money this past off season. Hunter Henry had a very good year. Jonnu Smith did not.

Logan Thomas is the 10th highest paid tight end in average salary. What?

There are a couple of fellows in O.J. Howard and David Njoku who will be free agents this off season. Both have never quite lived up to their expectations. How do they get slotted in free agency?

Dallas has decisions to make with their guys. Can they find better tight ends than Jarwin and Shultz? You would think so, but Dalton had a pretty good season. I don't know if we can just take it for granted that a new face can repeat that type of production for a decent cost. Whomever is the #1 TE in Dallas next year will cost what they are paying now for their current tight ends. I believe Dalton is the 4th highest paid TE on the team.
 

kskboys

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If the TE is well rounded, 8ish. If he's more one dimensional, 4ish
 

nate dizzle

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CowboysZone DIEHARD Fan
Over the past several years, the tight end position seemed to be a murky position in which to invest. How do you go about getting a quality player? Draft someone and let them develop or go find a free agent.

Some of the money I've seen spent of tight ends hasn't really made a lot of sense to me the past few seasons. For example, in 2019 the Rams signed Tyler Higbee to a 4 year $31 million extension. A lot of money at the time for a player who hadn't done anything his first 3 years in the league. He has improved the last few years, but still isn't a top TE in the league. I know roughly $8 million per season isn't a lot compared to Kelce or Kittle salaries, but the production isn't there, either.

Sometimes it has to do with timing when it comes to how much a player gets.. The Browns made Austin Hooper the highest paid tight end a couple of years ago. He has not been good the past 2 seasons and of course other big names have since signed larger contracts.

The Patriots signed two guys to big money this past off season. Hunter Henry had a very good year. Jonnu Smith did not.

Logan Thomas is the 10th highest paid tight end in average salary. What?

There are a couple of fellows in O.J. Howard and David Njoku who will be free agents this off season. Both have never quite lived up to their expectations. How do they get slotted in free agency?

Dallas has decisions to make with their guys. Can they find better tight ends than Jarwin and Shultz? You would think so, but Dalton had a pretty good season. I don't know if we can just take it for granted that a new face can repeat that type of production for a decent cost. Whomever is the #1 TE in Dallas next year will cost what they are paying now for their current tight ends. I believe Dalton is the 4th highest paid TE on the team.

I'd take Njoku over any TE on our roster.
 

Pape

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Smith was 4 years, 50 million... 31.2 guaranteed... but really only the first two years are effectively guaranteed... next year his salary is 9m, with a 13m cap hit...

HH signed a 3 year 37.5m dollar contract... basically the same thing with one less year...

Both have kinda been disappointing... don't get me wrong, I like them and they were much better than what we had on the roster the year before, no doubt... but I expected to use much more 12 personnel packages... but we used the 11 and 21 sets much more frequently...

but a good TE will run 8-9 million a year, and the top ten or so 10 to 15 million ... these are average values per otc... you can get away with an effective pay rate which is far less than the average value if the deal is backloaded, which is typical of most nfl contracts
 

joseephuss

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I'd take Njoku over any TE on our roster.

At what price? Statistically, his career matches Schultz's. He is a good athlete. Can they get him for the same or even less than re-signing Dalton? It will be interesting.
 

visionary

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I’d rather pay 12 to a top TE than 8 to a middling one

A great TE changes a lot
 

joseephuss

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I’d rather pay 12 to a top TE than 8 to a middling one

A great TE changes a lot

Sure, but how many of those level tight ends are available to sign? It appears all of the top level tight ends were drafted and then earned their big salary contracts by the teams that drafted them. They didn't become free agents. If you tried to trade for them it would cost draft capital plus a big contract. There really are only a few top level tight ends out there and of course they are locked up with their respective teams. There are only 7 whose average salary is over $10 million per season. Two of those(Austin Hooper and Jonnu Smith) so far have not lived up to the money. Is there a specific tight end that will be available for that $12 million per year salary? And not just for Dallas. Will any team being giving out that level of contract to any prospective tight ends? I don't see anyone at that level.
 
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