FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A few initial thoughts on the New England Patriots' one-year agreement with tight end Fred Davis, as reported by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter:
Never hurts to add competition: Tight end might be the deepest position on the team's roster, with Rob Gronkowski, Scott Chandler, Michael Hoomanawanui, Tim Wright and sixth-round draft choice AJ Derby of Arkansas. Davis adds another layer of competition behind Gronkowski. He obviously isn't a roster lock.
Derby's knee injury could be a consideration: Derby might not be ready for full participation in drills (knee scope), which adds some context to the overall depth chart. Derby had been medically excluded from running, jumping and skill drills at the NFL combine. Thus, the Patriots might have been looking for a fifth player to help flush out the depth chart for on-field drills in the offseason. And with 90 players on the roster, teams have flexibility to make these types of moves at this time. In general, the supply at the position in the past two NFL drafts hasn't met the demand, which could also be part of the Patriots' mindset in tapping the veteran free-agent market.
A bit more on Davis and his situation: Davis is coming off a year-long NFL suspension, which puts him in a situation where he has little margin for error if he wants to continue his career. Like many coaches, Bill Belichick preaches consistency and reliability, and Davis didn't grade highly in those areas as his career progressed in Washington. But perhaps realizing this could be his last chance helps him change course. One of Davis' best assets when he was making a mark for Washington was his ability to make things happen after the initial catch.
