Shortly into the free-agent signing period, the San Diego Chargers made the decision to re-sign Antonio Gates while allowing Ladarius Green to move on. Whether or not that decision comes back to bite them remains to be seen, but Gates isn’t getting any younger.
As a result, the Chargers will need to look to the draft for a tight end that can come in and be developed. The recent signing of former New York Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland changes nothing. Cumberland brings experience, but he’s never been an impact player.
If the Chargers don’t believe a player such as Stanford’s Austin Hooper is the answer, Nick Vannett could be a solid choice in the later rounds.