NFL tight ends regularly struggle as rookies.
The steep learning curve associated with a position that requires the physical challenges of blocking and pass-catching, plus the mental challenges of learning routes and blocking schemes can be daunting for anyone.
Add the expectations that come with players who are drafted high and it’s a recipe for struggles and disappointment.
Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson, the eighth overall pick in 2019, seems to have left a lot of his rookies issue behind him. He already has matched his touchdown total and reached nearly half the yardage production he had all of last year.