Tight End Fix

There are some intriguing ideas for trade possibilities to acquire a tight end. C Pat Ross will be given a great chance to audition for other teams during the preseason games, but it is hard to see him making our roster.

Cleveland is a mess at center with LeCharles Bentley's injury, Bob Hallen's retirement, and Alonzo Ephraim's suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Ross could probably start for them. They have TE Kellen Winslow back from injury, and TE Steve Heiden is a decent player. A Ross for Heiden deal seems at least feasible, maybe packaged with a late round draft pick conditional on the playing time of Pat Ross for the Browns.

Green Bay is a mess on the interior of their line. Jeff Jagodzinski is implementing the zone-blocking scheme that he used in Denver and Atlanta. Ross is a good fit for that and Green Bay has three decent tight ends in Bubba Franks, Donald Lee, and David Martin. They could easily get rid of one of them. All three guys obviously have experience in the West Coast Offense.

New Orleans is ok at center, but the offensive line is not good as a whole. Zach Hilton looks like a promising young tight end, but he is primarily a pass-catcher. Sean Payton likes his tight ends to do a lot of blocking, and Hilton has been running with the third team behind Ernie Conwell and Mark Campbell. Hilton is a less polished version of Jerramy Stevens at 6'8", 268.

Those are just some of the realistic possibilities out there.