NY Jets complete their tight end makeover signing Tyler Conklin

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Tyler Conklin / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin /

The NY Jets haven't had a legitimate starting-caliver tight end in over a decade, but all of a sudden, they now have two after signing both C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin.

The Jets signed Uzomah to a three-year deal on Monday, and as first reported by NFL Network's Mike Garafalo, they've now signed former Minnesota Vikings tight end Tyler Conklin.

The addition of Conklin completes the team's makeover of their tight end room following a decade of misery at the position. The Jets promised to make this position a point of emphasis this offseason.

They stuck to their word. The Jets now have two starting-caliber tight ends on their roster. What a world.

Tyler Conklin is another excellent addition to the Jets' offense

A fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Conklin was mostly a part-time player over the first three years of his career. Primarily used as a blocker, Conklin only hauled in 13 catches over his first two seasons in the NFL.

He started to receive a bit more work in 2020 finishing with 19 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't until the 2021 season that he took over as his team's starting tight end.

Conklin broke out this past season hauling in 61 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns. He was a reliable safety net for quarterback Kirk Cousins and a rock-solid in-line blocker.

At just 26-years-old, Conklin is an ascending talent coming off a career year who should provide further depth and experience to the Jets' new-look offense. He's also missed just one game in four years further solidifying the team's focus on durability.

The Conklin signing proves that the Jets plan to emphasize more 12 personnel in 2022, something that's always been a staple of Kyle Shanahan offenses. The Jets simply didn't have the personnel to run their desired offense last season.

Now, with Uzomah and Conklin both under contract, they absolutely do.

Uzomah and Conklin combined for a whopping 110 catches in 2021. All Jets tight ends over the last three seasons have combined for a grand total of 44 catches. These are two major upgrades for Joe Douglas' team.

The Jets are clearly committed to upgrading their tight end room. While adding another player in the draft isn't out of the question, it's certainly no longer a priority by any means.

*Contract details: 3 years, $21 million*

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.