Everyone knows the stars of each team. Patrick Mahomes is always leading the Chiefs, Ja’Marr Chase is always making plays for the Bengals, so on and so forth. But every team has at least one unsung hero that flies under the radar. NFL.com recently named one player on each team that fits the bill, naming them the most underappreciated player on their team. So who did the site pick for the Jets?
How about tight end Tyler Conklin, arguably one of the most underrated tight ends in the league.
Garrett Wilson has led the Jets in receiving yards during each of his first two seasons with the franchise. That’s not surprising. But raise your hand if you had Conklin ranking second in this category during his first two seasons with the franchise. Heading into the final season of a three-year, $20.25 million deal, Conklin has provided solid ROI to Joe Douglas, especially considering the motley crew of quarterbacks who’ve thrown him the football. With Aaron Rodgers under center in 2024, Conklin’s set up for success in a contract year. And if the guy needed any extra motivation, remember when we spent months talking about tight end Brock Bowers as a no-brainer first-round pick for the Jets? Douglas instead opted for OT Olu Fashanu. Now it’s on Conklin to help prove his general manager right.
Conklin caught 61 passes for 621 yards in 2023, second in yards to Garrett Wilson (1,042) and third in catches behind Wilson (95) and running back Breece Hall (76). Conklin did not find the end zone in 2023. He has not scored a touchdown since his two-touchdown performance on October 30, 2022 against the New England Patriots. However, one can argue that with the extra additions on offense and the return of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Conklin’s scoring drought may not last much longer once the 2024 season begins.
The Jets remain high on Conklin, evidenced again by them passing on Georgia tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the draft back in April. As Gennaro Filice notes in the article, Conklin is in the final year of the three-year, $20.25 million contract he signed back in 2022. If there’s a perfect year for a breakout from Conklin, it’s this year.