NEWSLETTER
The NFL offseason is moving quickly as free agency is almost here. Teams are finishing up evaluations from the combine and getting ready to see who hits the open market. Here’s a look at some of the top NFL free agent tight ends for the 2023 offseason.
Best Tight Ends Available in 2023 NFL Free Agency
Teams will be looking for solid tight ends in free agency or the 2023 NFL Draft. A solid tight end that fits your scheme can be a tremendous boost to an offense. Some of the top free-agent targets are great receivers while others can also block.
Dalton Schultz – Dallas Cowboys
Schultz has been consistent in the last three seasons for the Cowboys racking up over 500 yards receiving each season. He had a career-high 808 yards in 2021 with eight touchdowns. He is one of the top targets in the market at the tight end position.
Evan Engram – Jacksonville Jaguars
Engram recently received the franchise tag. This means he will be hanging around for one more season as the team tries to figure out a long-term deal. He had the best year of his career in 2022 with 766 yards and four touchdowns. It was the best season since his rookie campaign when he caught six touchdowns for the New York Giants.
Mike Gesicki – Miami Dolphins
Gesicki was a great pass-catching option in 2021 for the Dolphins with 780 yards. He had over 700 yards in both 2019 and 2020. Last season, he saw a drop in production to just 362 yards but he did catch five touchdowns. The talent is thereafter ranking among the top 10 tight ends in 2021.
Hayden Hurst – Cincinnati Bengals
Hurst put up solid numbers in 2022 after a down season in 2021. The best season of his career came in 2020 for the Atlanta Falcons when he had 571 yards and six touchdowns. He started 13 games last season for the Bengals and had 414 yards receiving.
Austin Hooper – Tennessee Titans
Hooper has been used as more of a run blocker in the Titans dominant run game. He still was able to put up some solid numbers during the 2022 season with 444 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Hooper becomes a 2023 NFL free agent with almost 3,500 career receiving yards and 25 touchdowns.
Other Tight Ends to Watch Out For in Free Agency
Robert Tonyan and Irv Smith could draw some attention during the 2023 offseason. Tonyan had a great 2020 season but has fallen off since then. Teams are hoping he can return to being the player who caught 11 touchdowns during the 2020 season.
Smith was a first-round pick back in 2019 for the Minnesota Vikings but has not lived up to potential. He also had a solid 2020 season catching five touchdowns but hasn’t done much since. Both Tonyan and Smith have a lot to prove to their next teams.
Top NFL Free Agent Tight Ends FAQs
The group is headlined by Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki. Evan Engram was headed to being one of the top free-agent tight ends before he was hit with the franchise tag by the Jaguars.
2023 NFL free agency begins on March 15 at 4 p.m. eastern time. Teams are allowed to contact the certified agents of players on March 13 during the legal tampering period.
An unrestricted free agent is an NFL player with at least four years of experience and an expiring. They are free to negotiate and sign with any team without any restrictions.
