Arizona Cardinals Should Consider Signing TE Tim Wright

The New England Patriots have decided to release TE Tim Wright, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. Wright was a solid red zone option for the Patriots last season, finishing the year with six touchdowns on 26 receptions.

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Wright has some nice upside going forward, but the Patriots considered him expendable based on their extreme depth at the position after bringing in the likes of Scott Chandler, Fred Davis and sixth round rookie A.J. Derby this off season.

There will likely be a handful of teams with at least some interest in the 25-year-old Wright, who will reportedly have to go through waivers. That being said, Wright was released by the Patriots just one season after the team traded for him. Perhaps his value is not as high as it appears on the surface.

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Wright is undersized for the tight end position. He was a wide receiver in college who ended up making a nice impact as a rookie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a “move” tight end. In his rookie season, Wright brought in 54 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns as the Buccaneers used his impressive speed and athletic ability to their benefit.

Wright will certainly be under consideration for many teams to claim off of waivers, but most teams do not really have a need at tight end. Also, Wright’s skill-set is not exactly one of a traditional tight end. Some NFL teams would have little to no use for a player like Wright. I am not saying it is likely, but it is possible he slips through waivers.

If Wright does become available to them, the Arizona Cardinals need to strongly consider making a move for him. The Cardinals’ tight end group has recently been named the weakest in the entire NFL. The retirement of John Carlson will force 2014 second-round pick Troy Niklas into significant playing time. After that, the Cardinals have unexciting veteran Daniel Fells, and a bunch of unknown and unproven players at the position. They could certainly find a role for a player like Wright.

The Cardinals obviously do not put much stock into the tight end position, as they have used very few resources on it in recent history. Head coach Bruce Arians simply does not feature the position much in the passing game. He relies heavily on a power rushing attack, coupled with a deep passing game.

Jun 1, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians during practice at organized training activities at the Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

While Wright does not necessarily fit an Arians’ style offense, his speed and athleticism would be enticing for the head coach. Wright has shown the ability to be a productive player from the “move” tight end role. I would not expect Arians to use him a ton in the offense, but adding another weapon at a position of weakness seems like a good idea on the surface.

Between Niklas and Wright, the Cardinals would be able to get at least solid production from the tight end position. Wright would also give Arians another option as a slot receiver, and a seemingly dangerous weapon in the red zone.

Considering the lack of cost it would take to acquire him, if the Cardinals get a chance, they should hop on the opportunity to sign Tim Wright.

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