Patriots Roster Reset: Rookie tight ends offer optimism after 2019 drought

Rob Gronkowski retired after the 2019 free agency period began. By the time Gronkowski made his decision, only Austin Seferian Jenkins and Ben Watson remained. Both would he signed and neither did much to help the Patriots.

To start the year, the Patriots went with Lacosse and Izzo, at some point cutting Watson just Bring him back.

Out of the three, Ryan Izzo was the best of the bunch early on. In weeks five and six, Brady targeted Izzo six times completing four passes for seventy yards and a touchdown. Izzo's production and development was then hindered by a concussion. Izzo was out with injury weeks seven, eight, nine, and ten. Afterwards, Belichick redshirted the 2018 seventh round draft pick. Check out my article on Izzo if you want to know more about why he was the best Patriots tight end  of 2019.

Because Lacosse was a disappointment and Watson was a shell of himself who retired, Belichick drafted two tight ends. Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

Asiasi and Keene can line up anywhere you can think of having a tight end play in the NFL. Keene can even run the football. Asiasi has had issues keep the weight off and Keene is a bit undersized. Keene has drawn comparison to Aaron Hernandez, while Asiasi has been said could develop into one of the elite tight ends.  

Unless something happens both Keene and Asiasi should be roster locks. The Patriots have been known to keep three tight ends in the past and with two rookies, it is expected that both Lacosse and Izzo will have to battle for the tight end three spot.  Izzo should walk away with that and but the winner should start the season as tight end one until The rookies have been seasoned.