Post by Purple Pain on Dec 14, 2021 13:03:07 GMT -6
Purple Insider: Tyler Conklin's season sets up major tight end questions in 2022
Link:
purpleinsider.substack.com/p/tyler-conklins-season-sets-up-major
After releasing Kyle Rudolph, the Vikings had plans of plugging Conklin in his place alongside Smith to rerack the two-tight-end plan. That went up in smoke in the final days of August when Smith suffered a meniscus injury that required surgery. And the team’s 11th hour acquisition of Chris Herndon for a fourth-round pick has been a failure.
No, Conklin has pretty well carried the load with 49 catches, 489 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings have shifted their offensive philosophy without Smith.
The Vikings had a league-low in three-wide-receiver formations last year with 294 and spent 494 snaps in their most common two-tight-end formations (“12” and “21”). This year they are on pace to almost reverse those splits with 466 snaps using three wide receivers and only 343 snaps out of “12” and “21”.
Stretching the field has undoubtedly kept things open for Conklin over the middle.
Conklin is 11th amongst tight ends in receiving yards, on track for 639 yards this year, which would be higher than any Rudolph season save his 2016 campaign. You’d be correct to point out that Conklin isn’t fighting other tight ends for targets (aside from the once-in-a-blue-moon pass to Herndon or Luke Stocker) — and as a result, the team’s tight end production is on pace to be almost 200 yards lower than last year — but he is still vying for usage with another pass-catcher in K.J. Osborn. The blossoming of Osborn as a viable WR3 has given the Vikings an additional downfield threat who has the capacity to be more explosive than almost any tight end, recording touchdowns this year of 27, 62 and 64 yards.
But despite the presence of three high-ceiling wide receivers, Conklin still has the third-highest target share on the team and has exceeded expectations as a No. 1 guy after being a TE3 most of his career.
Through 13 games, Conklin is the 19th graded tight end, via PFF, out of 51 qualified. He’s been reliable with only one drop and healthy with all 13 games played. He is tied for 20th in yards per route run, tied for 17th in first downs and ranks 28th of 89 qualified tight ends as a blocker.
That’s far from a significant downgrade from last year when Smith ranked 16th and Rudolph ranked 27th overall out of 48 qualifiers.
Have there been smaller downgrades? Perhaps, but they would only be nitpicks.
Is Conklin going to offer the same athleticism of Smith? No, but his YAC per reception is over a yard better than Smith’s in 2020, and Conklin currently has two “deep” receptions this season, one less than Smith had all of last year.
Is he the same type of end zone threat as Rudolph at his peak? No, but he also has nine red zone receptions through 13 games, the same number as Smith and Rudolph combined a year ago (and more than any of Rudolph’s seasons since 2017).
The biggest red flag on Conklin would be his pressures allowed, a league-leading nine at the tight end position. But his overall blocking grades remain average or good on a snap-to-snap basis. In fact, Rudolph’s complaint upon his departure was that the Vikings used him so much as a blocker that he wasn’t able to be productive as a pass-catcher, but Conklin is on pace for more blocking snaps than Rudolph in 2020 or 2019, yet he’s managed to remain an effective part of the passing attack.
There is little about Conklin’s resume that suggests he won’t get paid this offseason. Look at Tyler Higbee, a former fourth-round pick with the Rams, who had never exceeded 300 yards through three years in the league when he signed a four-year, $29 million extension at age 26. On the higher end, look at Jonnu Smith, who signed a four-year, $50 million deal with New England last March at age 25 after four years in Tennessee where he stayed below 500 yards.
Conklin could have over 600 yards and something like five touchdowns by year’s end. At age 26, he fits the profile of a man who’s about to get rich. The only knock is that he’s only done this for one full year.
His moderate success puts the Vikings in a pickle come March that may force them into a tough choice, regardless of the decision-makers in place. Paying Conklin could come at the expense of Smith, who may have a higher ceiling, while jilting Conklin would place a lot of pressure on Smith’s recovery from knee surgery.
It’s a consideration the Vikings probably didn’t anticipate when Conklin entered the final year of his contract as the second fiddle. Now as the Vikings contemplate his future, they’ll have to evaluate the shape of their offense and how many tight ends will get a piece of the pie.
As we always say with this team, a lot can change in a hurry, and there are still four games left to provide new information.
No, Conklin has pretty well carried the load with 49 catches, 489 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings have shifted their offensive philosophy without Smith.
The Vikings had a league-low in three-wide-receiver formations last year with 294 and spent 494 snaps in their most common two-tight-end formations (“12” and “21”). This year they are on pace to almost reverse those splits with 466 snaps using three wide receivers and only 343 snaps out of “12” and “21”.
Stretching the field has undoubtedly kept things open for Conklin over the middle.
Conklin is 11th amongst tight ends in receiving yards, on track for 639 yards this year, which would be higher than any Rudolph season save his 2016 campaign. You’d be correct to point out that Conklin isn’t fighting other tight ends for targets (aside from the once-in-a-blue-moon pass to Herndon or Luke Stocker) — and as a result, the team’s tight end production is on pace to be almost 200 yards lower than last year — but he is still vying for usage with another pass-catcher in K.J. Osborn. The blossoming of Osborn as a viable WR3 has given the Vikings an additional downfield threat who has the capacity to be more explosive than almost any tight end, recording touchdowns this year of 27, 62 and 64 yards.
But despite the presence of three high-ceiling wide receivers, Conklin still has the third-highest target share on the team and has exceeded expectations as a No. 1 guy after being a TE3 most of his career.
Through 13 games, Conklin is the 19th graded tight end, via PFF, out of 51 qualified. He’s been reliable with only one drop and healthy with all 13 games played. He is tied for 20th in yards per route run, tied for 17th in first downs and ranks 28th of 89 qualified tight ends as a blocker.
That’s far from a significant downgrade from last year when Smith ranked 16th and Rudolph ranked 27th overall out of 48 qualifiers.
Have there been smaller downgrades? Perhaps, but they would only be nitpicks.
Is Conklin going to offer the same athleticism of Smith? No, but his YAC per reception is over a yard better than Smith’s in 2020, and Conklin currently has two “deep” receptions this season, one less than Smith had all of last year.
Is he the same type of end zone threat as Rudolph at his peak? No, but he also has nine red zone receptions through 13 games, the same number as Smith and Rudolph combined a year ago (and more than any of Rudolph’s seasons since 2017).
The biggest red flag on Conklin would be his pressures allowed, a league-leading nine at the tight end position. But his overall blocking grades remain average or good on a snap-to-snap basis. In fact, Rudolph’s complaint upon his departure was that the Vikings used him so much as a blocker that he wasn’t able to be productive as a pass-catcher, but Conklin is on pace for more blocking snaps than Rudolph in 2020 or 2019, yet he’s managed to remain an effective part of the passing attack.
There is little about Conklin’s resume that suggests he won’t get paid this offseason. Look at Tyler Higbee, a former fourth-round pick with the Rams, who had never exceeded 300 yards through three years in the league when he signed a four-year, $29 million extension at age 26. On the higher end, look at Jonnu Smith, who signed a four-year, $50 million deal with New England last March at age 25 after four years in Tennessee where he stayed below 500 yards.
Conklin could have over 600 yards and something like five touchdowns by year’s end. At age 26, he fits the profile of a man who’s about to get rich. The only knock is that he’s only done this for one full year.
His moderate success puts the Vikings in a pickle come March that may force them into a tough choice, regardless of the decision-makers in place. Paying Conklin could come at the expense of Smith, who may have a higher ceiling, while jilting Conklin would place a lot of pressure on Smith’s recovery from knee surgery.
It’s a consideration the Vikings probably didn’t anticipate when Conklin entered the final year of his contract as the second fiddle. Now as the Vikings contemplate his future, they’ll have to evaluate the shape of their offense and how many tight ends will get a piece of the pie.
As we always say with this team, a lot can change in a hurry, and there are still four games left to provide new information.
Link:
purpleinsider.substack.com/p/tyler-conklins-season-sets-up-major
I certainly hope the new regime doesn't plan on running a lot of 2 TE sets. Then again, what if Irv is another player made of glass like Barr, Cook, Hunter, Pierce, and Darrisaw? Doesn't hurt to have good depth, as we learn every year at this time. Maybe someone should mention that to Cousins and his big contract?
I certainly hope the new regime doesn't plan on running a lot of 2 TE sets. Then again, what if Irv is another player made of glass like Barr, Cook, Hunter, Pierce, and Darrisaw? Doesn't hurt to have good depth, as we learn every year at this time. Maybe someone should mention that to Cousins and his big contract?
... and neither is this Chris guy.