Pros and cons of Colts selecting TE with their first pick
We are now less than two weeks away from the 2022 NFL draft and finding out which latest crop of young talent will be starting their career with the Indianapolis Colts.
General manager Chris Ballard has addressed depth concerns at the safety position while signing veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore over the last week which is twiddling down the positions of concern on the roster.
Head coach Frank Reich loves to utilize tight ends within his offensive scheme and the position has had a lot of success over the recent years outside of the most recent one. The team does need more out of the position but the question is, should Ballard target one of the best tight end prospects with his first selection?
Jack Doyle retired earlier this offseason, Mo Alie-Cox is staying put after signing a three-year extension and Kylen Granson still has to prove himself.
For a team that needs more out of the passing attack, it should be considered to select one when they are first on the clock. I take a look at the pros and cons if the front office chooses a tight end at pick No. 42 overall:
Be sure to check out our pros and cons list for other positions as well:
Pro: Getting Matt Ryan a weapon
I already covered the pros and cons of selecting a wide receiver with the first pick, you can copy and paste the top reason from that article into this one for a tight end because it’s obvious that there needs to be another threat in the Colts’ passing attack.
Some of Matt Ryan’s best years in the NFL came with Tony Gonzalez and Austin Hooper. He even helped Kyle Pitts put together one of the best rookie seasons for a tight end in league history last year. Frank Reich would love for his quarterback to have a reliable player he can depend on in the middle of the field and a big body presence when the offense is in the red zone.
Ryan was brought to Indianapolis to help give some consistency to the passing attack so one of Chris Ballard’s remaining tasks in the offseason is to give his quarterback everything he can to help set him up for success. A talented tight end certainly fits that bill.
Con: Could lead to overpay of Mo Alie-Cox
The Colts kept their homegrown talent in Mo Alie-Cox this offseason by signing him to a three-year, $17.55 million contract. He has developed into a solid tight end since making a career switch after playing basketball in college.
With Jack Doyle retiring, there is a big need for Alie-Cox to step up as a leader in the locker room and with his production on the field. This past season was his best opportunity to grab a larger role because Doyle was dealing with injuries throughout the year.
Alie-Cox had his spurts of success but failed to put together some consistent performances and would disappear in some games. After being the Robin to Doyle’s Batman in the tight end group, Reich needs Alie-Cox to become the Batman and help fill Doyle’s shoes.
A selection of a tight end at No. 42 does show that even though he was brought back on a new contract, there’s no guarantee he’ll reach his ceiling and make that new deal turn into a value.
Pro: Fills depth and helps future
The biggest concern with the Colts roster is that it lacks depth and tight end is one of those positions that need to be addressed. The third tight end in Frank Reich’s offense typically gets a decent amount of playing time so they need to find who that can be for the upcoming season.
Not only for the small role in the offense but to add competition for who gets the most snaps and incase if an injury did occur. A move at the position will help fill that spot for this season but also help beyond 2022. Mo Alie-Cox signed his three-year deal but only $8.2M is fully guaranteed so there isn’t a major commitment beyond this season and the front office could get out of it if they wanted to.
Kylen Granson isn’t a proven product and while the upside is certainly there, the team can’t afford to assume he will reach his ceiling this season because if he doesn’t, then it hurts the chances of Matt Ryan finding success.
Even if it isn’t at No. 42, a tight end prospect from this draft should be selected at some point during the draft weekend.
Con: May hurt Kylen Granson's development
The fourth-round pick from the 2021 NFL draft will be looking to step up in a larger role after sitting in that third spot on the depth chart last season. Despite being third on the depth chart he had a few games where he had over 40% of the offense’s snaps.
Even though Alie-Cox looks like the lead dog to take over Doyle’s spot, Kylen Granson has just as much as a chance to lead tight ends in receptions this season. This offseason he generated some positive buzz during the latest owner’s meetings.
Chris Ballard expressed his belief in the tight end and thinks he has the talent to be productive in the offense. Similar to a selection at receiver, if the Colts put in the first draft card for a tight end prospect then there is a clear plan for the rookie to have a role in the offense and make an impact this season.
This would take away the potential snaps Granson would get and put a dent in his development.
Potential Options at #42
Tight end is the one position in this draft class that Chris Ballard might be able to get his highest-rated prospect at the position in the second round. There isn’t a consensus top tight end and it seems more unlikely that one will get selected in the first round. Here are some potential options for the Colts:
Trey McBride is a Jack Doyle clone to me. Frank Reich can line him up all over his offense as he did with Doyle. He’s got good size and strength for the position. Overall he’s an effective receiver, solid blocker and plays the game tough like the retired tight end did.
Greg Dulcich would be a great fit in the Frank Reich offense. He’s got great speed for a tight end and Reich could help set him up to get the offense chunk gains. His YAC ability is outstanding and he can be a mismatch problem for some linebackers at the next level.
Isaiah Likely fits the mold of an athletic prospect that is viewed more as a receiver over your old-school prototype tight end. Don’t let that fool you though, he’s a more than willing blocker and can help out in the rushing attack. I believe he offers a high ceiling if he can tap into his talent.
There are other good tight ends in this NFL draft like Jelani Woods, Jeremy Ruckert, Cade Otton, Charlie Kolar and Jake Ferguson. This is a position I don’t believe needs to be forced with the first pick but if one of these prospects is the best player on the board then they have to take him to help elevate the offense.
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