Chargers’ tight end room would get major boost from consistent performer

Adding another weapon to the Chargers’ offensive arsenal would benefit quarterback Jusitn Herbert. The team could sign a reliable pass-catcher if all goes well.

Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (83) carries the ball against Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) in the second half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In his first season with the Los Angeles Chargers, tight end Will Dissly put up career numbers with his new team. In six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, his most productive campaign came in 2022. He totaled 34 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. This past season with the Bolts, he was targeted 64 times and pulled down 50 passes for 481 yards and a pair of scores. Those 50 catches were the third-highest total on the club.

Was Greg Roman’s system simply a much better fit for Dissly, or was 2024 an outlier for the seven-year performer? In any case, Chargers’ general manager Joe Hortiz continues to look at how to make the NFL’s 20th-ranked offense more productive.

The #Chargers are hosting veteran TE Tyler Conklin on a visit, sources say. A bit of a surprise he’s still available, especially since a few teams have shown interest in signing him, including the Jets, with whom he had 170 catches for 1,622 yards and 7 TDs the last three years. pic.twitter.com/7uxiYuPvjU

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 20, 2025

A fifth-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, tight end Tyler Conklin didn’t really blossom until his fourth NFL season. In what proved to be his final year with the Vikings, he snared 61 passes for 593 yards and three scores. He signed a three-year deal with the Jets in 2022, and has made 43 starts in his 50 appearances. In those contests, he’s combined for 170 catches, good for 1,622 yards, and seven trips to the end zone. This past season, he totaled 51 receptions for 449 yards and four scores.

It begs the question. Dissly’s numbers in 2024 (50-481-2 TDs) aren’t that much different from Conklin’s, so why add a player that has almost identical statistics? The big difference is that the latter has totaled 50-plus catches in four consecutive seasons dating back to his last season with the Purple Gang.

In any case, Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh, as well as quarterback Justin Herbert, would mind a little more help at the position. Along with Dissly, Tucker Kisk and McCallan Castles are the only other tight ends on the roster. Hayden Hurst doesn’t appear to be in the club’s plans in 2025. Conklin would be a major addition to the league’s 19th-ranked passing attack this past season.

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