9 tight ends the NY Jets could target in 2022 free agency

The NY Jets have a number of positions that they would like to address this offseason, but perhaps none is more important than tight end.

The Jets have been searching for a reliable tight end for the better part of the last decade, and that search will continue this offseason. Could this be the year that the Jets finally revamp their tight-end room in a meaningful way?

The 2022 NFL Draft will present the Jets with numerous opportunities to upgrade the position. From Trey McBride to Jeremy Ruckert to Isaiah Likely and many others, there is no shortage of talented tight end prospects in this year's draft class.

But that doesn't mean they won't also look for an upgrade in free agency. Let's take a look at nine free-agent tight ends the Jets could target this offseason.

9. NY Jets target: Zach Ertz

The Jets have been tied to Zach Ertz trade rumors in the past, and with the longtime Philadelphia Eagles tight end set to hit free agency, perhaps this is the year they finally bring him in.

Ertz wouldn't be a long-term solution by any means, and he, along with most of the players on this list, would benefit from the Jets also adding a tight end in the draft. At 31-years-old, Ertz's best days are behind him.

But he proved in 2021 that he still has enough left in the tank. Ertz revitalized his career after being traded to the Arizona Cardinals at the deadline and finished with 74 catches for 763 yards and five touchdowns while playing all 17 games.

Ertz could serve as a valuable mentor to whatever tight end the Jets also draft while providing the team with a reliable, veteran target in the passing game. Even at his age, he might still be the Jets' best tight end in a decade.

8. NY Jets target: Maxx Williams

Maxx Williams is a tough evaluation. A former second-round pick, Williams has fallen well short of expectations in the NFL, but he's shown flashes of the former star he was in college.

That was evident this past season as he looked to be on pace for a career year after hauling in 16 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown over the first five weeks of the season. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in that fifth game, cutting his likely career-year short.

Williams has always been a strong blocker as his 82.3 Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade since 2017 is the third-best mark among qualified tight ends. That would go a long way in a Jets' offensive scheme that prioritizes tight ends that can block.

Williams wouldn't be the solution, and his injury history is a concern, but he could at least be part of the solution in the form of a cheap, high-upside signing.

7. NY Jets target: O.J. Howard

A frequent subject of trade rumors, it's quite frankly amazing that O.J. Howard managed to play out his entire rookie contract (including his fifth-year option) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's even more amazing when you consider what his role was.

Despite widely being viewed as one of the most underutilized players in the league, Howard remained an afterthought in Tampa Bay's offense hauling in just 14 catches for 135 yards this season despite playing all 17 games.

Howard has long needed a change of scenery, and while his stock has fallen tremendously, perhaps a team like the Jets can take a chance on him for cheap.

The former Alabama star has all the talent in the world and remains gifted as both a receiver and blocker. Perhaps he could finally realize his potential in an offense that actually utilizes him.

6. NY Jets target: Mo Alie-Cox

Another player who has been forced to play second-fiddle to this point in his NFL career is Mo Alie-Cox. The former college basketball star has developed into a quality tight end during his time in Indianapolis, something that few likely ever thought he would become.

After all, when Alie-Cox signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2017, he hadn't played a single snap of organized football since his freshman year of high school. What he's been able to accomplish over the last five years is nothing short of remarkable.

Alie-Cox still has some untapped potential to his game and I'd love to see him in an offense where he isn't overshadowed by Jack Doyle. Perhaps he could continue his development with the Jets.

This would be another signing on the cheap side, but one that also presents a great deal of upside.

5. NY Jets target: David Njoku

It's hard to believe that David Njoku is still only 25-years-old. A first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Njoku has had an eventful stint with the Cleveland Browns going from promising young starter to disgruntled backup to a quality starter again by 2021.

Despite persistent trade rumors, Njoku put together his best campaign since 2018 this past season finishing with 36 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns. Much like Alie-Cox, it's very possible that we haven't seen the best of Njoku yet.

The speedy tight end may not be the greatest blocker, but he presents a matchup nightmare to any NFL defense with his combination of size and athleticism.

He cut down on the drops and stayed healthy in 2021, just in time for free agency. Don't be surprised if some team — maybe the Jets — bets on his upside and hands him a decent payday.

4. NY Jets target: Mike Gesicki

Mike Gesicki is arguably the top tight end on the market this year. But the two players on this slide have one important distinction in common — I wouldn't expect either to actually hit the open market.

Gesicki has developed into one of the most productive and dynamic receiving tight ends in the NFL over the last few years. The former second-round pick hauled in 73 catches for 780 yards and two touchdowns in 2021 — his second consecutive 700-yard campaign.

At 6-foot-6, 247 pounds, Gesicki is a true matchup nightmare who can attack defenses up the seam and serve as a reliable safety blanket for a young quarterback like Zach Wilson.

That said, his deficiencies as a blocker (he's basically a wide receiver at this point) make him an odd scheme fit, and there's a good chance the Miami Dolphins place the franchise tag on him if an extension can't be reached. Still, he is a feasible option.

3. NY Jets target: Dalton Schultz

This is probably the player who most Jets fans have been eyeing. Dalton Schultz has broken out over the last two seasons going from a primary backup to one of the most productive tight ends in football.

After a 63-catch, 615-yard season in 2020, Schultz upped his game finishing with 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021. He was a borderline top-five tight end in the NFL.

Schultz is everything the Jets are looking for in a tight end. He's a dynamic receiving threat, a more-than-capable blocker, and he's still young at just 25-years-old.

Unfortunately, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Dallas lets him walk. File this under the "hopeful, but unlikely" category.

2. NY Jets target: Evan Engram

The third 2017 first-rounder on this list, Evan Engram, much like his former draftmates, hasn't lived up to his potential in the NFL. Engram has shown flashes of greatness, but his inconsistencies continue to plague him.

At times, he's a playmaking receiving threat who can stretch defenses and serve as a focal point of his offense. Other times he's dropping passes at crucial moments prompting groans from those watching in the stands and at home.

Engram has 17 drops over the last two seasons — far and away the most of any tight end in football. But he's also finished with 44 or more catches and at least 400 receiving yards in all five of his NFL campaigns.

Much like Gesicki, Engram's lackluster blocking traits make this an odd fit. But Engram needs a chance of scenery, and perhaps he could find it with his former team's crosstown rivals.

1. NY Jets target: Gerald Everett

If the Jets aren't able to sign the "top" names on the market (most likely because they don't even hit the open market), their best bet might be to target a player like Gerald Everett.

Everett isn't flashy and he's hardly a known commodity around the league, but the former second-round pick has a well-rounded skill set that could serve him well in the Jets' offense.

Everett signed with the Seattle Seahawks this past offseason after four years with the Los Angeles Rams and he went on to have a career year. The 27-year-old finished with 48 catches for 478 yards and four touchdowns.

Modest production, sure, but he still proved to be a reliable part of Seattle's offense. In what could be a weak crop of free-agent tight ends, Everett might just be the safe, relatively cheap signing the Jets are looking for.