Why we don't need a TE

[BengalChris]

(09-16-2021, 12:39 AM)fredtoast Wrote: First of all TE's are not as good of receivers as WRs.  Last year there were only 5 TEs with more than 700 receiving yards, but 48 wide receivers passed that mark.  Only 1 TE in the league had 30 receptions and and averaged over 14.0 per catch.  26 WRs did it.  So if you just want receiving production it is better to throw to a WR than a TE.

Teams still need a big TE who can help out with blocking and provide a 3rd or 4th receiving option when the WRs are covered.  And I feel that Uzomah is fully qualified to do that.  He is a very impressive combination of aize (6'4", 264) and speed (4.64 forty was second fastest TE at the '15 combine).  He is not "nimble"; he can't run real tight routes like elite TEs.  But he has good hands and is plenty a goo enough receiving threat to run down the seam or just catch a check down route when everyone else is covered.

But here is the big point that a lot of people miss.  We currently have three top level WRs.  Any team that has a TE in the top ten in receiving yards generally has a weak #2 WR and an invisible #3.  Here are the top 10 TEs from last year by receiving yards and the number of receptions by the #2 and #3 WRs on their team

...................yds....team...#2 WR....#3 WR
Kelce...........1416.....KC.......45.........41
Waller..........1196....LV........56.........26
Hockenson.... 723....Det.......46.........20
Gesiki........... 703....Mia.......36.........28
Andrews....... 701....Bal........33.........19
Fant............. 673....Den.......51.........30
Thomas........ 670....Was......32.........27
Engram........ 645.....NYG.....50.........35
Kittle............ 634.....SF........49.........33
Gronkowski... 623....TB.........65........45

So if you start dreaming about a TE being a big part of our passing game realize that he will be taking targets away from our top 3 WRs.  And if you want a TE good enough to match the production of Chase, Boyd, or Higgins You are probably going to need a high first round draft pick or a ton of free agent money.  And even then I don't think he would make the offense any better or more productive.  It would just be a zero net sum gain taking catches away from the WRs and giving them to the TE.

When I look at the positions where we need to get better I just don't see the justification of using large resources for a TE.

While I'm sure this took some time to look up, you didn't mention the biggest reason the Bengals have little use for a TE.

And that reason is that the coach hasn't a clue how to use a one. Geez, just think of who else we could have drafted or had on the roster if we just cut loose of these pesky useless TEs.

In real life there's plenty of use for a TE though. And in all honesty I was really expecting you to have one word as your reason and that word is Tate.