The New York Giants executed a clean sweep of the tight ends group this off-season under new management. Former first-round pick Evan Engram signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, taking his talents down south and leaving behind a rocky start to his career with Big Blue.
Unfortunately, Engram was never able to capitalize on his unique skill set, showcasing inconsistent hands and lackluster blocking. However, he will get an opportunity to feature alongside first overall pick from 2021, Trevor Lawrence.
Behind Engram, the Giants had Kyle Rudolph and Kaden Smith, both of whom were cut this off-season to save a bit of cash. Rudolph was an easy cut, saving $5 million after signing a two-year deal with the Giants last year under Dave Gettleman’s leadership.
Given new GM Joe Schoen started the off-season with negative salary space, he had to make a few tough decisions regarding where he would allocate his available funds and what positions he needed to skimp on.
Clearly, tight end wasn’t a priority on their list. They will likely address the position in the 2022 NFL draft where a myriad of quality players exist. Ohio State TE Jeremy Ruckert stands out as a solid option for the Giants, featuring great hands and capable blocking production.
However, that doesn’t negate the obvious need for NFL-level talent, which is why the Giants reportedly signed Ricky Seals-Jones, formerly of the Washington Commanders on Wednesday night.
Seals-Jones has spent five seasons in the NFL, featuring in 13 games last year with Washington at 26 years old. The veteran TE has bounced around the league, starting his career with Arizona, traveling to Cleveland, Kansas City, and then Washington.
He tallied 271 yards and two touchdowns last year with a 61.2% catch rate. Per PFF, Seals-Jones has proven to be a solid pass blocker when called upon but has been inconsistent as a run blocker throughout his career.
Despite his run blocking deficiency, Seals-Jones stands at 6’5″ and 243 pounds, a solid frame that could translate to a better blocker if coached up correctly. With the new acquisition of TE coach Andy Bischoff from the Baltimore Ravens, there’s potential for Seals-Jones to reach his peak abilities. Bischoff played an instrumental role in developing Mark Andrews into the player he is today, so he clearly has a track record of success.