Tennessee Titans: Dwayne Allen from Patriots for conditional draft pick
Since Delanie Walker went down for the season with an ankle injury in Week 1, Jonnu Smith has not stepped up. Marcus Mariota’s early season elbow issue didn’t help, but it’s become clear the Titans need a veteran reinforcement at tight end.
After catching 10 passes as Rob Gronkowski’s backup last year, Allen took a pay cut to stay with the Patriots during the offseason. So far this year he has one catch for negative yardage, and as long as Gronkowski is healthy his role won’t be changing.
But in the right situation Allen could be productive. Sharing work with Coby Fleener on the Colts from 2012-2015, he had a season with eight touchdown catches (2014). Then he had six touchdown grabs in 2016.
Allen has never had more than 45 receptions in a season (2012). But his blocking ability would help Tennessee get their rushing attack going, and he can be something of a red zone threat for an offense than can use any kind of weapons. New England’s asking price is also sure to not be much for someone they would have cut last offseason, and don’t seem to have much use for regardless of Gronkowski’s health..