The New England Patriots made a minor splash on Wednesday when they signed tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins to a one-year deal. His arrival is a welcome one, as New England needs tight end help following Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement. Seferian-Jenkins isn’t anywhere close to as good as Gronkowski, but the five-year NFL veteran has the ability to play a role on the team.
Breaking Down Austin Seferian-Jenkins In the New England Patriots’ Offense
Seferian-Jenkins enters the 2019 season with a relatively unimpressive 116 receptions for 1,160 yards and 11 touchdowns over five seasons. The Washington product only has one season with over 21 receptions and 350 yards. On the surface, Seferian-Jenkins doesn’t appear to add anything to the passing game.
However, it’s easy to explain away Seferian-Jenkins’ lack of offensive production. Since entering the league Seferian-Jenkins has had to deal with some of the worst quarterbacking possible. During his career, the tight end has caught passes from Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty, and Blake Bortles. This isn’t exactly an elite group of quarterbacks, and all those names pale in comparison to Tom Brady. Brady has turned mediocre pass-catchers into key pieces before, and he could do the same if Seferian-Jenkins has even the slightest bit of ability.
Fortunately, the advanced stats show that Seferian-Jenkins has what it takes to get open, at least in small doses. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the tight end averaged 3.0 yards of separation on his routes over his past two seasons. By comparison, Rob Gronkowski only averaged 2.9. Seferian-Jenkins obviously isn’t Gronkowski, but he’s good enough to beat linebackers in coverage. Additionally, his 6’5”, 262-pound frame allows him to box out smaller defenders and haul in contested passes.
The biggest problem with Seferian-Jenkins is his complete lack of consistency. While he shows flashes of promise, he’s yet to put it all together in the passing game. Bad quarterbacking can only explain away so much, as he has the raw tools to be one of the better receiving tight ends in the league. If the Patriots can harness his natural talents, New England may have found a huge steal late in free agency.
Run Game Contributions
Of course, catching passes is only one part of the job description. New England is one of the most run-heavy teams in football, meaning tight ends need to block in the trenches. Fortunately, Seferian-Jenkins was one of the better run blockers in the league last year. Injuries limited Seferian-Jenkins to just five games, but Pro Football Focus rated him as the sixth-best run-blocking tight end in the league last year.
It’s worth noting that this run-blocking production was something of an anomaly. By and large, Seferian-Jenkins hasn’t been anything special as a run blocker. Pro Football Focus rated him as a below-average run blocker in three of his past four seasons, so 2018 could have been a fluke. Only time will tell, but Seferian-Jenkins has the build hold his own in the trenches.
Career Run Blocking Grades for Austin Seferian-Jenkins:
2018 – 73.0 on 80 snaps as a run blocker
2017 – 59.6 on 219 snaps
2016 – 39.3 on 64 snaps
2015 – 57.6 on 50 snaps
2014 – 71.2 on 146 snaps— PFF NE Patriots (@PFF_Patriots) April 10, 2019
The 2019 NFL Draft
Even with Seferian-Jenkins in town, the Patriots should be in the market for a tight end in the 2019 NFL Draft. While the five-year veteran offers a relatively safe floor with decent potential, he’s not the future of the position. New England only signed him to a one-year deal and he’s probably trying to re-establish his value before cashing in during 2020’s free agency.
This 2019 tight end class is top heavy, but the Patriots have the draft capital to grab some of the best in the class. The Patriots currently have six picks in the first three rounds and should be able to get Irv Smith Jr. or Jace Sternberger without having to trade up. Should T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant fall into the late first, New England has the resources to trade up and grab one of the Iowa standouts.
At the end of the day, Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a low-risk signing with decent upside. While he’s never produced much in the passing game, he’s never had a good quarterback at any point of his career. He’s good at getting open and could see a notable increase in production with Tom Brady. Assuming he stays healthy, look for Seferian-Jenkins catch 35-40 passes while serving as the bridge for an early-round rookie.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
