The final 53 - Tight Ends

[YardRat]

Can Charles Clay stay healthy?
Will Dan O'Leary develop into a serviceable back-up?
Can Logan Thomas transition from QB to TE?
Do any of the others (Saxton, Croom, Towbridge) really have a legit shot at making the team or are they just camp bodies?

IMO Clay, O'Leary and Thomas will be our three, but that's certainly not a newsflash.

The biggest points of discussion about this group isn't so much who is going to make the team but rather what are they going to be able to contribute when the games mean something.

May be the weakest skill position unit on the team.

[Forward_Lateral]

Nick O'Leary

[Night Train]

I don't see this as a big concern. Clay is good when healthy and has been ignored for 3 years. O'Leary can catch and block. Thomas did look good running routes this weekend and blocking is the only unknown. Still, he's 3rd string.

If you don't throw to the TE, that's the QB.

[Buddo]

I like O'Leary, I think he's a footballer first and foremost, and he's not going to let you down in a hurry. TE seems to be a position where people get way too carried away over 'measureables', when actually, being a footballer, is a big part of what they need to be, as 'jack of all trades'. Gragg had plenty of good athletic numbers, yet hardly made a play, and I seriously doubt that O'Leary will ever do what Gragg did in London, and position himself out of bounds to make a catch. ;(

O'Leary is never going to be a #1 TE, but he can be a valuable team member, as a #2/3 and STs guy, who might not make that many plays himself, but won't stuff up either.

[Arm of Harm]

One of my friends is a Dolphins fan. He had great things to say about Clay. He was very disappointed that his team lost such a good player.

Clay is largely wasted in Buffalo, because we have a QB who doesn't see open TEs.

If our offense this year is like the one we had last year--if it's primarily run-oriented, with the passing game being something of an afterthought--the quality of our TEs probably doesn't matter that much. Sure, you don't want them to drop the few passes which do come their way. And sure, you also want them to be good blockers on running plays.