New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry isn’t getting any younger. Austin Hooper is also in his 30s.
While both produced well last season - 111 catches for 1,150 yards and five touchdowns between the two of them - New England could use another capable tight end, preferably a young player with a bright future who could grow into a top performer over the coming years.
After all, Hooper re-signed but it was only a one-year deal.
Tight end isn’t considered among the top priorities for New England this off-season, but most believe it’s an area that needs some attention.
Enter Michael Mayer.
It’s been no secret that Mayer has at times been unhappy in Las Vegas. Trade rumors have been swirling in the wind for what feels like an eternity. It’s rumored that Josh Daniels was a part of that frustration.
Of course, Josh Daniels is now back in New England. However, the below soundbite is largely what those rumors are based upon. To be clear, the Coach Daniels issue may be real. Contrarily, that notion is based on flimsy evidence and could be a bogus claim.
If the latter is true, Mayer would be a smart, long-term acquisition for New England.
Mayer recorded 42 catches for 450 yards as a true freshman at Notre Dame in 2020. It’s worth noting he was the youngest in a tight end unit that included Brock Wright (current Detroit Lion) and Tommy Tremble (Carolina Panthers) that year.
He finished his career as Notre Dame’s all-time leader in receptions at the tight end position (180 catches, 2,099 yards, 18 TD). Keep in mind the Fighting Irish have churned out significant pro tight ends, including Tyler Eifert, Kyle Rudolph, Cole Kmet, Dave Casper, Jon Carlson, Anthony Fasano, and the two current pros cited above in Wright and Tremble.
It’s why Mayer was selected No. 335 overall by the Raiders in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately, Las Vegas hasn’t proven to be the most ideal home for the Kentucky native when it comes to ascending as TE1.
A year later, the Raiders selected star tight end Brock Bowers out of Georgia with the 13th overall pick. Mayer’s numbers were impacted accordingly.
After logging respectable rookie numbers - 27 receptions for 304 yards and two touchdowns through 14 games - Mayer’s numbers dropped to 21 catches for 156 yards with no scores while Bowers led NFL tight ends in receiving yards (112 catches, 1,194 yards, five TDs).
Simply put, Las Vegas simply hasn’t come close to tapping into the full potential that Mayer possesses as a receiver. Take a look at the footage below for a taste of his pass-catching ability along with some of his run blocking highlights.
While Mayer is underappreciated as a weapon in the passing game, he may have even more capability as a blocker.
Should the young player join the Patriots roster behind Henry, he could be an asset in the running game as an attached tight end, through H-Back work, and beyond.
In case you missed it in the above video, below is a clip of Mayer handling his business versus Khalil Mack from a different camera angle.
Of course, all of this is a hypothetical. It’s difficult to project what Las Vegas would want in return for the former top-of-the-second-round draft pick.
Conversely, it’s easy to make the case that this potential move is at least worth considering for the Patriots.
If New England could land him for a Day Three pick, it would likely be well worth it.
At worst, if this hypothetical became reality, Mayer seems fit to be a surefire quality TE2 over time in New England.
In the best-case scenario, he could be a long-term starting tight end - a bruiser who can pave the way to home runs, consistently win jump balls, and create a consistently reliable target - after a few seasons in the offense.
Should the Daniels angle not be a deterrent as some suggest it would be, this could be an intelligent option to consider.
