Ranking the NFC North Tight End Rooms For 2020

Tight end is one of the weaker position groups in the division. Which team has the upper hand?

Will Ragatz | Jun 9, 2020

The NFC North is loaded with talent at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver.

At tight end? Not so much.

There are some accomplished veterans towards the back end of their careers, and each of the four teams has an intriguing young player at the position. But unlike the "skill positions," there are zero established stars. Jimmy Graham's 447 receiving yards paced the group in 2019, and that ranked 18th among all NFL TEs.

The lack of star power could change this year if one or more of the division's recent early-round draft picks at tight end emerges. Let's take a look at how the four teams currently stack up against each other at the position, and as always, I'll end this article by ranking the North's best individual TEs.

Previous NFC North position rankings:

1. Minnesota Vikings

Starters: Kyle Rudolph, Irv Smith Jr.

Depth: Tyler Conklin, Brandon Dillon, Nakia Griffin-Stewart

Jermichael Finley and Martellus Bennett led the way in the early part of the 2010s, but Kyle Rudolph has pretty clearly been the best tight end in the division over the past five years. Since 2015, an NFC North TE has recorded at least 490 receiving yards ten times. Rudolph owns four of those seasons, and Eric Ebron (twice) is the only other player to do it multiple times.

With Rudolph getting up there in years – he turns 31 in November – the Vikings used a second-round pick in 2019 to address their future at the position. At just 21 years old, Irv Smith Jr. flashed a lot of potential during an encouraging rookie season; he caught 36 passes for 311 yards and graded out well as a blocker (per PFF). Smith's presence was a big reason why Rudolph only had 367 receiving yards after averaging 625 over the four prior seasons.

In 2020, there's a chance the torch begins to be passed from Rudolph to Smith. The young Alabama product offers a lot more speed and agility than the veteran, and with Stefon Diggs gone, Smith has a chance to emerge as a major weapon for Kirk Cousins. Rudolph's size, hands, and experience will continue to make him a factor as well, especially in the red zone. In Gary Kubiak's offense, both are essentially starters. The 1-2 punch is the reason why the Vikings are the easy choice for the No. 1 tight end room in the division.

For more on the Vikings' tight end room in 2020, check out our in-depth position preview.

2. Detroit Lions

Starter: T.J. Hockenson

Depth: Jesse James, Hunter Bryant, Isaac Nauta, Matt Sokol

This ranking is all about betting on the talent of T.J. Hockenson, who the Lions drafted with the No. 8 overall pick in 2019. The Iowa product has a ridiculous athletic profile and absolutely has the tools to develop into one of the best tight ends in the NFL. His combination of athleticism and blocking ability offers reminders of a fellow Hawkeye in George Kittle, who has quickly emerged as the league's top player at the position.

Hockenson began his career with a bang, exploding for 131 receiving yards and a touchdown in Week 1. However, that would easily be his best game as a rookie, as he averaged just 21.5 yards over the next 11 games. Hockenson was slowed by a couple injuries – a concussion suffered in Week 4 and an ankle injury that cost him the final four games of the year. The Lions are hoping that he can stay healthy in 2020 and make a major sophomore leap like Kittle did in 2018.

Detroit also has decent depth at the position. Jesse James is a five-year vet who spent his first four years with the Steelers and is a solid No. 2 option. Hunter Bryant is an interesting rookie out of Washington; he was projected to go as early as the third round but was scooped up by the Lions as an undrafted free agent.

3. Chicago Bears

Starter: Jimmy Graham

Depth: Cole Kmet, Demetrius Harris, Ben Braunecker, Adam Shaheen

Unfortunately for the Bears, this list prioritizes quality over quantity. After signing two free agents and adding two rookies, Chicago currently has nine tight ends on its roster. However, the vast majority are unlikely to make meaningful contributions in 2020.

Like the rest of the division, the Bears' top two TEs consist of a veteran and an exciting young player. The vet is Jimmy Graham, whose name recognition isn't representative of his actual ability at this point in his career. The former Saints and Seahawks star spent the last two seasons being a slightly above-average player for the Packers and turns 34 in November. So why did the Bears sign him to a two-year, $16 million deal? Your guess is as good as mine.

Knowing that Graham isn't the future at the position and accepting that Adam Shaheen (who they drafted in the second round in 2017) isn't either, the Bears spent the No. 43 pick this year on Cole Kmet. The Notre Dame product has prototypical size and above-average athleticism, and it's not difficult to imagine his impact being greater than Graham's by the end of the season. The Bears also added Demetrius Harris (formerly of the Chiefs and Browns) in free agency. It's an interesting TE room, to say the least.

NFC North Draft Recaps: Bears Get Another Tight End, Add to Loaded Defense

4. Green Bay Packers

Starter: Jace Sternberger

Depth: Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan, Evan Baylis, James Looney

The Packers take the "over-the-hill veteran plus unproven young player" formula to the extreme. Marcedes Lewis is 36 years old and hasn't broken 400 receiving yards since 2012. He actually graded out as the best tight end in the division last year according to PFF, but that was while being utilized as a blocker on 68 percent of his snaps. He's still valuable in that regard, even if he offers very little as a pass-catcher.

With Graham now in Chicago, Green Bay's top receiving tight end will be a guy who didn't catch a single pass in the regular season last year. Jace Sternberger was a consensus All-American in 2018 after recording 832 yards and 10 touchdowns for Texas A&M. The Packers took him in last year's third round, but an ankle injury kept him out for over half of the season. He ended up catching his first three passes of the year in the playoffs, including a touchdown reception in the NFC title game. Sternberger doesn't have Hockenson's potential, but he's in a similar boat of looking to prove himself in 2020 after an injury-marred rookie year.

The Packers' top duo isn't far behind that of the Bears, but they have the worst depth of any team in the division. Tonyan has 14 career receptions, Baylis has already spent time on four different rosters in four years, and Looney is a converted defensive lineman.

Update: Just wanted to make a note that I didn't forget about third-round pick Josiah Deguara. I think he's going to replace Danny Vitale at fullback for the Packers, so I didn't include him in the tight end discussion.

Individual NFC North Tight End Rankings For 2020

T.J. Hockenson
Irv Smith Jr.
Kyle Rudolph
Jace Sternberger
Jimmy Graham
Cole Kmet
Marcedes Lewis
Jesse James

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Published Jun 9, 2020

WILL RAGATZ