With the free agent market drying up, the Los Angeles Chargers could still benefit from adding talent to their offense. After a disappointing end to the 2024 season, the Chargers have a plan in place for both free agency and the remaining offseason to finish 2025 on a better note. Part of the Chargers' offseason plan could include signing free agent tight end Tyler Conklin, who met with the team on Thursday evening, per Mike Garafolo on X.
“The Chargers are hosting veteran TE Tyler Conklin on a visit, sources say,” Garofolo wrote. “A bit of a surprise he’s still available, especially since a few teams have shown interest in signing him, including the Jets, with whom he had 170 catches for 1,622 yards and 7 TDs the last three years.”
The #Chargers are hosting veteran TE Tyler Conklin on a visit, sources say. A bit of a surprise he’s still available, especially since a few teams have shown interest in signing him, including the Jets, with whom he had 170 catches for 1,622 yards and 7 TDs the last three years. pic.twitter.com/7uxiYuPvjU
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 20, 2025
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While his name might not ring the same bells as — say — Brock Bowers or George Kittle, Conklin has been relatively productive over the last three seasons with the New York Jets.
2022: 16 starts, 58 receptions, 552 yards, 3 TDs
2023: 12 starts, 61 receptions, 621 yards, 0 TDs
2024: 15 starts, 51 receptions, 449 yards, 4 TDs
Considering he's off the best scoring season he's had throughout his seven-year career, it is a bit surprising that he's gone unsigned for this long.
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However, given how lackluster the market for tight ends has been in free agency, it becomes less surprising. The Denver Broncos signing Evan Engram was one of the biggest tight-end deals throughout free agency (two-year, $23 million deal with $16.5 million fully guaranteed), but even that contract didn't turn too many heads.
Aside from Engram, there weren't many big deals in the tight-end market, proving Conklin's situation might be due to a slow offseason.
Had Conklin played on the interior of the offensive line, maybe he'd have already signed with a team, as offensive guards have been a major winner of the 2025 NFL free agency period.
But, as an average-level tight end, not many teams appear to be biting.
The 6-foot-3, 248-pound tight end is approaching 30 years old, likely hurting his chances of signing in the offseason. But, off a four-touchdown year in 2024, there's a chance a team — like the Chargers — wants to sign tight end Tyler Conklin in free agency.