Having multiple starting-caliber tight ends on an NFL roster is becoming a necessity, and Michael Mayer makes that possible in Las Vegas. Filling the role of the "Y" tight end, he's grown as a functional blocker as an NFL player, but still needs to work on lowering his head and scooping. When Brock Bowers missed time last season, Mayer was able to handle more routes, and while he isn't the route-runner Bowers is, he uses some route nuance (head intention and hands at the top of routes) to create separation and is a tough runner after the catch. New head coach Klint Kubiak will want to utilize 12 personnel, and with Mayer entering a contract year, he could be in for a nice season.

With George Kittle missing a good chunk of the regular season due to injury, Jake Tonges had to step up. He handled that task with maturity, went on to have his best NFL season, and showed the 49ers he was worth keeping around. Tonges gets the job done as a blocker, but wasn't asked to carry the bulk of the blocking work. He's a receiving option with the tools to catch the ball and get upfield quickly and efficiently to maximize space. He flashed some impressive ball skills with highlight grabs throughout the season, but he isn't a matchup problem at the position. Tonges is a capable receiver and proved to be a reliable target when called upon.

The Bills abandoned the sixth offensive lineman usage that they led the league in from 2023 to 2024 because of one man. Jackson Hawes. They ran the ball 80% of the time when Hawes was on the field, and he proved to be a dominant blocker in a multitude of run concepts. He showed power, footwork, and great hand usage to displace defenders and create rushing lanes throughout the season. He even proved to be an effective pass protector when called upon. Hawes was a surprisingly good part of the passing attack as well, while attacking the seams and showing excellent feel post-route. There's a bit of a logjam for snaps at tight end in Buffalo, but Hawes earned a bigger part of the offense with his rookie showcase.

After the Giants brought Jaxson Dart into the fold, we started to see Theo Johnson break out and become a field-stretching tight end. His large frame and ability to catch through contact while running downfield fit perfectly with how Dart wants to play. Johnson can adjust to the ball in the air, and made some great plays last season, but still has a lot of room to grow as a functional blocker. He lunges, puts his head down when engaged, and whiffs on far too many blocks. While his receiving ability makes him a good contributor, making strides as a blocker will go a long way to seeing Johnson make a real step as an impact tight end.

When Tyler Higbee went down with an injury, the Rams turned to Colby Parkinson as their "go-to" player in that room, and he was rewarded with a career year. He's always been a reliable blocker, and he helped the Rams' run game as an in-line player capable of executing a number of blocking responsibilities. He's not an overly dynamic playmaker, but he has excellent hands, adjusts to the ball in the air, and can find soft spots to exploit. Parkinson had only 408 yards but a staggering eight touchdowns in the regular season, and was a huge player for them in the postseason, with eight catches for 152 yards and a score. The Rams want to play with a ton of tight ends, and Parkinson earned his place in that room.

Some players have an innate sense of what to do on a football field, particularly with the ball in their hands. Harold Fannin Jr. is one of them. He's a bit of a tweener when it comes to body type, but the effort to block and play physically is there, and he does his best blocking work on the move, where angles are better for him. The Browns schemed him into space many times last season, but he was impactful after the catch, creating something out of nothing numerous times. Fannin Jr. has been moved all around the formation, and after the Browns moved on from David Njoku this offseason, he's in line for even more work in his sophomore campaign.

Consistency will take you far in the NFL, and Daniel Bellinger proves that each and every snap. He's asked to do a lot as a blocker, from being in motion, to being in line, and as an H-back, while taking it all in stride and playing with good leverage, hand usage, and footwork. Bellinger is a smart player who has a wider route tree than you'd expect, gets proper depth, and comes back to the football. Typically sure-handed, he's a reliable target who maximizes his length, but it does inhibit his ball skills away from his body. Providing an offense with a consistent, versatile skill set at the tight end position makes Bellinger a fun addition for the Tennessee Titans' offense.

While not the best athlete at the position, Dalton Schultz will be in the right spot, present to the quarterback, and catch the football. With only one drop on 102 targets a season ago, he's as safe a target as there is and does a great job exploiting zone coverage with high-level eyes. Beating man coverage isn't a strong suit, but he reads leverage well and knows exactly when to get his head around and present. The former fourth-round pick is coming off his second-highest receiving-yard total, 777 yards on 82 catches. While he isn't anything special as a run blocker, Schultz tries to use body positioning to create angles due to a lack of point-of-attack strength. He's proven himself to CJ Stroud time and again and earned the trust of the offense.

Chig Okonkwo is an iron man at the tight end position, battling through minor injuries throughout his career to bring speed and toughness to the field. However, this is not the blocking tight end you're looking for. He's out there only because he has to be, but when the script turns to throwing the ball, Okonkwo's your guy. He has lapses in concentration that lead to drops, but he's tough through contact, able to make defenders miss in space, and can stretch the field. More nuanced in his route running than expected, he brings a more rounded receiving profile to the table. Okonkwo is going to fit extremely well with the tight ends in Washington's blocking scheme.

With the amount of moving around the formation as Cade Otton does, you'd think he was a pure "F" tight end, but the Bucs just like weaponizing him. He executes a huge amount of blocks from every alignment, even as an H-back, and while he isn't a people-moving tight end, he gets the job done. Otton is an excellent pass protector, with his run blocking rounding out his blocking profile. The former fourth-round pick is a solid receiver who identifies open space in zone coverage and gets upfield quickly. Otton isn't a consistent man-beating presence and is solid, but not great after the catch. He's been a very reliable and smart player for Tampa Bay, and they rewarded that with a nice contract.

Watching Josh Oliver look to punish people in the run game is a joy to witness. He can get top-heavy and fall off blocks or be thrown off by some of the top EDGE defenders, but the determination is there. There's untapped potential as a receiver with good athleticism, smart plays in zone coverage, and good hands. Oliver shows off speed after the catch and down the seams, but his biggest impact is felt in-line. He gets on double teams, times his blocks well to the second level, and is a blocker that an offense can feel confident running behind.

This guy is one of the most competitive blockers in the NFL, and while he's a touch undersized at the tight end position, Tommy Tremble brings it every game. Tremble blocks like Sauron poured his will to dominate all life straight into his hands to cause devastation. He punishes secondary members on the edge, blocks to the whistle, and consistently shows good timing on cut blocks from split-zone looks. There's untapped potential in his receiving game as his speed and yards after catch ability are underutilized, but he's made some impressive plays throughout his career. While the ceiling is capped on what Tremble can ultimately be, he's incredibly fun to watch.

Dawson Knox is a chameleon for the Bills' offense with the variety of skills he brings to the field. He can do the job of Dalton Kincaid, being the big slot, and execute a number of jobs/assignments as an in-line blocker. The former third-rounder is an efficient receiver who wants to get into his route quickly and gets his head around when he's clear with purpose. With Kincaid missing time last season, Knox had more opportunities in the passing game, and he showed the connection he has with Josh Allen. He'll never be an extra tackle as a blocker, but he's crafty with his hands and does a great job thinking through the concept. When a team has a role player like Knox, they love keeping him around, and the Bills showed that with a new three-year contract earlier this offseason.

The injuries have piled up for TJ Hockenson throughout his career and taken some of his natural fluidity, but the offensive change last season hurt his production the most. His average depth of target dropped from nine yards in 2024 to the lowest of his career at 5.2 yards, and his average air yards per target was even lower at 4.8. Hockenson knows how to get open, is a physical route-runner who often creates contact to free up space, and has legit ball skills to catch the football wherever it is around him. He doesn't seem as fluid after the catch; he's more of a decent blocker at this point in his career, and he'll be coming off a shoulder injury for next season. Another year older, but with a possible quarterback upgrade and the hope of full health, there could be a return to form for Hockenson.