2025 Free Agency Preview: Tight Ends
February 12, 2025
by Alex Zeese
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the start of our annual free agency preview series, in which we dive into the available free agents at each position who are available and may be of interest to Washington.
_________
Current Roster:
Washington drafted Ben Sinnott with the number 53 overall pick last season, and whether it was a case of expectations for the rookie being a bit too high, or the resurgent career of Zach Ertz, Sinnott had just 5 catches for 28 yards and one touchdown in his first season. He played on just over 300 snaps on offense last year; maybe it’s not as surprising since Kingsbury’s tendency is to use a single tight end and three receivers. But given how highly he was drafted, you have to hope that he can take over the starting position next year.
Colson Yankoff was brought in as an undrafted rookie free agent. While he is listed as a tight end on the roster, he was a tight end in name only last year, as he played exclusively on special teams, with no snaps on offense. However, I do remember him playing solidly on special teams, and given that his contract has him here another two seasons I’d expect him to be back on the roster starting next year.
Current Free Agents from Washington’s 2024 roster:
Zach Ertz finished the season as the number 2 receiving target on the roster. He had a solid year for a tight end, with 66 catches for 654 yards and 7 touchdowns. It was a somewhat surprising resurgence for the 34 year old. At the end of the season, Ertz seemed eager to come back to play another year with Daniels. Ertz provided a good safety blanket for a rookie quarterback, but you have to wonder if bringing him back would just further hinder the development of younger tight ends.
John Bates was the blocking tight end. He finished the final year of his rookie contract on a career-low, just 8 catches for 84 yards. While Bates was never a prolific pass catcher, the numbers and the fact that he was part of the previous regime in DC are not a great sign for his return.
The current free agent class is not exactly a great crop of tight ends. The question will be how the coaching staff views Ben Sinnott. Washington will almost certainly be looking to add two tight ends to the roster – the question is whether they be looking for a guy to be at the top of the depth chart or whether are they looking for a number 2 and number 3. If they choose not to bring back Ertz I think they would have to sign at least one veteran free agent tight end.
Other Free agent options:
Tyler Conklin, 30, has spent his career with the Vikings and Jets and is a fairly reliable receiving option, averaging about 50 catches and 500 yards a season every year for the last 4 years. If the team were to move on from Ertz but still wanted a reliable option with similar production he would fit the mold.
Mike Gesicki, 30, after two down years with the Dolphins and Pats, had a resurgent season in Cincinnati racking up 665 yards in that prolific offense while playing with arguably the best gunslinger QB in the NFL today. I wonder whether that’s a level of production he would keep up with on another roster.
Juwan Johnson, 29, was drafted as a wide receiver and converted into a tight end by the Saints. Johnson is a similarly a decent veteran option. He was the Saints’ leading receiver last season with 548 yards, though that may be more of a sign of just how bad the Saints offense was.
Austin Hooper, 31, the former two time Pro Bowler, has never quite been as productive as he was in Atlanta when he was playing with Dan Quinn from 2016-2019. That’s not to say he’s been terrible – since his last Pro Bowl year in 2019, he’s averaged 39 catches for 387 yards and 2 touchdowns a year versus the 54 for 561 and 4 touchdowns per season he averaged when he last played for Quinn.
Mo Alie-Cox, 32: if they decided they want a more physical pass blocking tight end this may be where they look, towards the 6’5 270 lb Alie-Cox. He won’t give you much in the passing game.
Harrison Bryant, 27, was with the Raiders. However, considering that they just drafted an elite tight end option one would figure that Harrison Bryant will be a free agent. Statistically, his ceiling is likely as a number 2 tight end.