Patriots Free Agency Outlook, Tight Ends
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Dwayne Allen
Allen is a complete tight end that can block as well as catch and has been very productive with the Colts since being drafted in 2012 from Clemson.
The Fayetteville, NC native has 91 career catches for 1045 yards (11.5 avg), and 13 touchdowns while a member of the Indianapolis offense. He was their go-to guy in his rookie season with 45 catches and three touchdowns but his problem has been staying on the field and staying healthy.
He missed nearly all of the 2013 season and has played in 13 games both in 2014 and this past season. Due to his injury issues, the team has moved to Coby Fleener as the go-to tight end in the passing game and now the Colts have decisions to make as both are free agents.
Last season the Colts used Allen, much to his chagrin as strictly a blocking tight end and he had only 16 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown on just 29 targets. The year before he was targeted 50 times and 29 catches for 395 yards and eight touchdowns. Of his 29 catches in 2014, 24 of them went for first downs. With the Colts signing blocking tight end Cameron Clear from the Steelers practice squad, that likely signifies that Allen will be moving on.
Allen would be a versatile player where like Gronkowski, he can block and catch and it isn’t an either/or scenario. He’d be a nice fit in the Patriots offense, helping out in the running game and being a nice secondary target from Brady in the passing game.
The only issue would be money, how much he’d want to come to play in New England and if he can come to grips with being the second tight end on the roster.
Options are there: The ball is in the Patriots court; They can opt to keep Chandler and renegotiate his deal and hope that with another season here, his familiarity with the offense as well as improved health would make a big difference. But if they cut ties with him, these are a couple of free agents that could make a difference.
If they opt for the draft, there are a couple of names of what is admittedly a weak class for tight ends that may be available in the middle rounds to keep your eyes on. We’ll have more on these players as we move closer to the draft; but they include: Jerrell Adams, 6’5, 245-pound tight end from South Carolina who played well despite poor play from the QBs. Bryce Williams, 6’6, 260, from East Carolina and Tyler Higbee, 6’5, 250, a converted wide receiver from Western Kentucky.
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