Ex-Buffalo Bills wide receiver Jordan Matthews’ journey to becoming the next former wideout from the team to transition to tight end has taken the next step. Eyes will be on him.
Matthews will attend a free agent camp Sunday in San Diego sponsored by HUB Football, which will include NFL, CFL, USFL, and USA Rugby scouts. In June, Matthews said he was attempting to change positions in an effort to extend his NFL career.
He reasoning for doing so was simple, Matthews said last month: “The phone lines weren’t ringing at wide receiver, so it’s like if you can’t give me a way there, I’ve got to make a way.”
Now that effort is going to be put to the test next weekend and Matthews has evidently continued to pack on the pounds.
Via NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport, we have an update on Matthews bulking up. Rap Sheet also indicates that Matthews was at “TEU” or Tight End University, working out with a big crew of current NFL tight ends. Buffalo’s Dawson Knox was there as well:
Veteran ex-WR Jordan Matthews has added 15+ LBs & will work out this weekend as a TE for NFL scouts at the HUB camp in SD. He attended TEU & has been working out in Nashville with a group of TEs including George Kittle & Robert Tonyan. He is repped by noted TE agent Steve Caric. pic.twitter.com/B6JF99jh6U
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 14, 2021
As referenced, Matthews is not alone. Former Bills wideout Kelvin Benjamin has already been successful in changing positions to tight end this offseason, to an extent.
Benjamin will have to earn a final roster spot in training camp, but the New York Giants are at least giving him a shot. The Giants signed him to a deal to bring him to training camp after he had a tryout with New York during minicamp as a tight end.
Benjamin’s decision to switch positions came years after ex-ESPN color analyst Booger McFarland famously said he’s “a Popeye’s biscuit away from being a tight end” during a nationally televised game.
On the flip side, Matthews played with the Bills for one season in 2017… and while neither player is remembered fondly in Bills history, only one trashed Buffalo upon leaving the team.
After departing, Matthews said in September 2018 “there was like nothing to do” in Buffalo. The Bills faithful might not exactly wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor because of that.
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