The Possibility of a Mass Tight End Holdout After the 2022 NFL Season
Ravens’ TE Mark Andrews, who finished top-5 in receiving yardage in the 2021 season, is currently compensated less than 27 wide receivers across the league.
We’ve all heard the adage, whether it be from the most knowledgeable football “insiders,” or the casual fan, or even from the latest game from the Madden franchise.
The game is changing, and the tight end position is changing with it.
The days of tight ends as extra blockers being put into the lineup for rushing attempts are long gone, and have been traded for a new wave of big-bodied, speedy, deft pass catchers. The modern-day tight end is a matchup nightmare, for he is too big to be guarded effectively by a defensive back, and too fast to be defended by a linebacker.
In the current era of the NFL, receivers are now earning a higher salary than a good deal of quarterbacks, not to mention tight ends. As of the beginning of September, 11 wide receivers are being paid $20 million or more. But the highest-paid tight end, George Kittle, is only being compensated $15 million per year.
Many years ago, one could attribute this salary gap to the fact that wide receivers were simply better athletes. They were paid for their speed, hands, and even size. Sound like a familiar formula? With the way the NFL is changing today, this archetype is exactly what tight ends are expected to be. The evolution of the league is from a run-oriented style to more pass-happy.
This change has caused teams to use their tight ends more, but salaries haven’t quite caught up with usage, and tight ends are clearly underpaid as a result.
One can only speculate today about the future of the salaries of the tight end position. One potential catalyst as of today could be the recent news on Darren Waller, who hired new agents and is seeking a new deal that “reflects his production” before the start of this season.
It can be expected that a huge deal for one of the elite tight ends of today would start a snowball effect of increased contract amounts. If these contracts don’t get negotiated, it’s not out of the question that a mass tight end holdout comes into effect.
These talented players may come together and find that it’s in their best interests to attempt a form of miniature unionization in order to improve their salaries. Perhaps Tight End University, the annual summit where players get together to improve their respective games, could be more than just workouts next June, because players could be engaging in money talks as well.
While there’s nothing to suggest right now that a mass holdout is in the works, the fact that tight ends’ salaries will eventually catch up to those of their peers seems inevitable. Tight ends have become a valuable asset to every NFL team today due to their rare combination of size, speed, and hands, and deserve to be paid as such.
Image courtesy of AP News
