So what about Antonio Gates

[TheNewStandard]

10 hours ago, Snake said:

He's a free agent this year and while old in the tooth could give us a new element to our passing attack. Could you imagine him, KB, Funchess, and Olsen all in one set... 

He's definitely an upgrade over Dickson, but he's gonna sign somewhere at a premium and I don't know how efficient he is at blocking.

i just can't see him coming here to be a blocker, which is what we need. 

I really like Gates but we need upgrades in other key positions than backup TE. 

[thefuzz]

Yes, let's pair a really old pass catching TE that can't stay on the field, or block, with a younger pass catching TE that can't block.

[AndrewLaskoski]

Word around the league is that Jordan Cameron will be released from the dolphins and if you're talking about physical specimens at the tight end position he's as good as they come. 

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	Arm length	Hand size	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP
6 ft 5 in	254 lb	33½ in	9¾ in	4.53 s	1.53 s	2.57 s	4.03 s	6.82 s	37.5 in	9 ft 11 in	23 reps
All values from NFL Combine[10][11]

Per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Cameron

He does have an injury history, but that could be helped by him playing limited snaps as the #2 TE. Former Pro Bowler and will be cheap, sounds like something Gettleman will look into at the least. 

[manu4t]

12 hours ago, E CaT PanTHer 2 said:

i think this is the year we draft a stud TE in the draft. 

Olsen has a few years left and although he still has a ton left in the tank, I think it's time to bring that dual threat back to the Carolinas (Shocky/Olsen days) and have Olsen groom him into the next best thing at TE. 

 

Doesn't look like a super deep draft at that position, but maybe someone who has good hands but was underutilized in their system (Howard from AL comes to mind) might be there in the second or third rd for the taking.  I still think DG will draft for the line and secondary though, maybe supplement this position in FA and wait another year to draft a TE.

[Snake]

2 hours ago, AndrewLaskoski said:

Word around the league is that Jordan Cameron will be released from the dolphins and if you're talking about physical specimens at the tight end position he's as good as they come. 

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	Arm length	Hand size	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP
6 ft 5 in	254 lb	33½ in	9¾ in	4.53 s	1.53 s	2.57 s	4.03 s	6.82 s	37.5 in	9 ft 11 in	23 reps
All values from NFL Combine[10][11]

Per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Cameron

He does have an injury history, but that could be helped by him playing limited snaps as the #2 TE. Former Pro Bowler and will be cheap, sounds like something Gettleman will look into at the least. 

Well yea would love Jordan but I was looking for a bargain basket TE.  We have about as much chance signing Jordan than we do finding a starting TE at the 31st pick. Everyone said Shockey was washed up when he came to Carolina but look how that turned out. Gates is also a better blocker than Dickson. 

[outlaw4]

I'm all for replacing Dickson with a better option but Gates just isn't. An old player taking PEDs is a huge red flag that his tank is on the edge of empty.

[AndrewLaskoski]

32 minutes ago, Snake said:

Well yea would love Jordan but I was looking for a bargain basket TE.  We have about as much chance signing Jordan than we do finding a starting TE at the 31st pick. Everyone said Shockey was washed up when he came to Carolina but look how that turned out. Gates is also a better blocker than Dickson. 

Season	Team	Receiving
		GP	REC	TGTS	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	FD	FUM	LST
2011	CLE	8	6	13	33	5.5	15	0	1	0	0
2012	CLE	14	20	39	226	11.3	28	1	12	0	0
2013~	CLE	15	80	117	917	11.5	53	7	47	1	0
2014	CLE	10	24	-	424	17.7	81	2	0	0	0
2015	MIA	14	30	-	346	11.5	29	2	0	1	0
	Total	61	160	169	1,946	12.2	81	12	60	2	0

Two down years in a row lead me to believe that he would be one cheaper than one would expect. He's been in Miami and Cleveland his entire career, maybe he'll want to come to a winning organization for a change. To be fair, I think any TE would be a better blocker than Dickson. Cameron certainly has the frame to be a good blocker. 

[Nick_81]

15 hours ago, WesleyM said:

IMO I think Simonson can be a good player, so we dont need another TE. He played well in preseason he is just behind olsen and dixon on the depth chart

Simonson is a hell of a pass catcher, and his routes are actually pretty damn good as well.  I haven't watched much as far as his blocking goes.  Olsen is fairly good blocking, and Dickson isn't all that great.  Makes me think Simonson must be a horrid blocker to be behind Dickson.

[Ken]

Too old and banged up. Heck of a player though.

We do need a better back up TE than Dickson tho(especially in terms of blocking)

[Snake]

23 hours ago, AndrewLaskoski said:

Season	Team	Receiving
		GP	REC	TGTS	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	FD	FUM	LST
2011	CLE	8	6	13	33	5.5	15	0	1	0	0
2012	CLE	14	20	39	226	11.3	28	1	12	0	0
2013~	CLE	15	80	117	917	11.5	53	7	47	1	0
2014	CLE	10	24	-	424	17.7	81	2	0	0	0
2015	MIA	14	30	-	346	11.5	29	2	0	1	0
	Total	61	160	169	1,946	12.2	81	12	60	2	0

Two down years in a row lead me to believe that he would be one cheaper than one would expect. He's been in Miami and Cleveland his entire career, maybe he'll want to come to a winning organization for a change. To be fair, I think any TE would be a better blocker than Dickson. Cameron certainly has the frame to be a good blocker. 

All I know is one of Denvers ways to getting to cam was no second passing TE.  We don't need a starter just a guy who can feast when everyone else is covered. That's not Ed Dickson. Gates, Jordan, or even someone else can do it better. 

[thefuzz]

22 hours ago, Nick_81 said:

Simonson is a hell of a pass catcher, and his routes are actually pretty damn good as well.  I haven't watched much as far as his blocking goes.  Olsen is fairly good blocking, and Dickson isn't all that great.  Makes me think Simonson must be a horrid blocker to be behind Dickson.

Olsen is typically one of the worst blockers in the NFL as a starter.

[Nick_81]

13 minutes ago, thefuzz said:

Olsen is typically one of the worst blockers in the NFL as a starter.

He's not nearly as bad as PFF would lead you to believe.

[TN05]

Gates would definitely be an upgrade over Dickson, both as a receiver and blocker. Honestly we need to speed more money on offense - weapons, in particular. A second tight end, on top of Benji coming back, would be a great relief to Cam - he's a big target and can catch anything.

[thefuzz]

Just now, Nick_81 said:

He's not nearly as bad as PFF would lead you to believe.

How about my eyes?

I know that he's not the worst blocker in the league, but he is pretty poor at it, and that's OK.

Typically I want my TE's catching passes, just like Olsen is doing for us, and not being inline blockers.  However, we already have Olsen, if we are getting another TE, we damn sure don't need Gates....another TE who I have seen a ton of games from.

He can't run any longer, he's a surefire HOFer, but he's not that anymore.