By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

HawkMania hot take: Will AJ Barner be the Seahawks starting tight end next season

AJ Barner was selected by the Seahawks in the second round, 50th overall, of the 2024 NFL draft. He  entered the league with a strong college pedigree. He was viewed as a promising prospect with good blocking skills and reliable hands. As of now, he remains on that promising trajectory to potentially become a starter in the upcoming season.
 But can he be the starter?



Here is the comparable stats and PFF grades between AJ Barner and Noah Fant:

Noah Fant:


AJ Barner

 

In regard to stats and grades, Barner was not far behind Fant in the majority of stats and grades, except one category. Blocking grades, Barner had the bigger advantage. That makes sense because Fant was used more in passing packages, and Barner was used more as a blocking tight end last season. 

AJ Barner is behind Noah Fant due to limited snaps as a backup. The question is if Barner and Fant were given equal reps, who would have the higher grades and stats? If Barner can show more consistency in pass protection, route running, and catching ability, he can garner more reps as the season progresses. To challenge Fant for more reps, Barner will need to adapt to Offensive Coordinator Kubiak’s system quickly.

The more he is deemed reliable, the bigger the chance he has of challenging Fant for more reps. Fant is in his last contract year with the Seahawks, so he will be locked in and focused on showing he is the team’s present and immediate answer to an all-around tight end. In addition to competing with Fant Barner, he has to watch his back, as the team is high on rookie draft pick Elijah Arroyo.

Article submitted byLuke Wenberg, CEO and Co-Owner of HawkMania LLC. Views are Hawk Mania and not Cascadiasports. net

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