The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching. The draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23, and will be three days when hundreds of prospects are added to the 32 NFL teams. This is a big time for dynasty, too, as the landing spots and path to touches can impact the value of prospects. Over the next few pieces, I’ll be looking at NFL teams with a positional group need that could make for a good landing spot for prospects.
Today, I’m looking at the tight end position. This is another position with a clear top option, a solid No. 2 selection, and a group of interesting prospects. There are a few teams with clear needs at tight end that could make a move in the draft. Below are 10 teams that could be targeting the tight end in the draft.
#1 Miami Dolphins
On the Roster: Greg Dulcich, Ben Sims, Jalin Conyers, Cole Turner, and Zack Kuntz
About: Do the Dolphins have a lot of players on the roster at tight end? Yes, they do. But are there any clear roster locks? No, there isn’t. Dulcich showed some flashes last season, but he’s struggled with health and consistency. The Dolphins are in a rebuild, but they need more weapons. Grabbing a top tight end makes a ton of sense.
#2 Baltimore Ravens
On the Roster: Mark Andrews and Durham Smythe
About: The Ravens still have Andrews, but he’s getting older. Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar left this off-season, leaving them thin at the position. They kicked the tires with David Njoku, an indication they want more at tight end. But so far, there are no additions. That makes them an interesting player in the draft, and possibly even a landing spot for Kenyon Sadiq.
#3 Denver Broncos
On the Roster: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, and Nate Adkins
About: The Broncos made a splash by grabbing Engram last offseason, but it didn’t lead to much. The team brought back Trautman and Krull this offseason, but the discussion has been that the team needs more out of the tight end position. The Broncos have looked at several options during the pre-draft process, which seems to indicate the team is looking to the draft to make a move at the position.
#4 Carolina Panthers
On the Roster: Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, Feleipe Franks, and James Mitchell
About: The Panthers have options. Tremble and Sanders have some upside, but neither has developed into a consistent pass-catching threat. The Panthers are a team looking to add weapons to build on their 2025 playoff berth. The draft could be a sneaky place to grab a prospect to compete in the tight end group and build around Bryce Young.
#5 New England Patriots
On the Roster: Hunter Henry, Julian Hill, Jack Westover, C.J. Dippre, and Marshall Lang
About: The Patriots have Henry locked into a starting role, but he’s aging, and the team lacks depth. The Patriots need to put more weapons around Drake Maye. The team is still working on adding receivers, but grabbing a tight end prospect would make a lot of sense, too.
#6 Houston Texans
On the Roster: Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover, Foster Moreau, Brevin Jordan, Luke Lachey, and Layne Pryor
About: On paper, it doesn’t make sense to take a tight end for the Texans. And yet, it might be a sneaky position to find more production in the passing game. The Texans have a lot of options, but none of them have established themselves. Schultz has been a steady presence, but he’s getting older and could have a shorter production window. The Texans would make sense as a landing spot for a prospect.
#7 Philadelphia Eagles
On the Roster: Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Johnny Mundt, Cameron Latu, and Stone Smartt
About: It looked like the Eagles would part ways with Goedert this offseason. Instead, they brought him back for another season. But it’s clear the Goedert era is coming to an end. The Eagles have a lot of other options on the roster, but none seem like a lock to be the guy after Goedert. That makes the Eagles a likely landing spot for a prospect at tight end as they look to stay strong in 2026 and build toward the future.
#8 New Orleans Saints
On the Roster: Juwan Johnson, Noah Fant, Moliki Matavo, Zaire Mitchell-Paden, and Treyton Welch
About: With Johnson and Fant, the team has a couple of veteran options for 2026. But this position group has changed a lot over the past couple of seasons. With the Saints looking to get younger and reshape the roster, adding a young tight end prospect to this team makes a lot of sense.
#9 Minnesota Vikings
On the Roster: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Ben Yurosek, Gavin Bartholomew, and Bryson Nesbit
About: The Vikings have two top players at receiver and a great starting tight end in Hockenson. Hockenson is getting older and has dealt with injuries. It’s unclear if Oliver is the tight end of the future. It would make sense for the Vikings to look to load up on an option at the position.
#10 Kansas City Chiefs
On the Roster: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, Jake Briningstool, and Tre Watson
About: The Chiefs brought back Kelce, but it feels like this is a farewell season tour. The team likes Gray, but is he the future at tight end? That remains to be seen. It would make a lot of sense for the Chiefs to grab a tight end in the draft and look toward life after Kelce.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
