It’s been a long time since the New York Jets got any production from their tight ends. Could Will Tye help fix those problems?

Prior to the start of the season, the New York Jets made—and won—a waiver claim on former New York Giants tight end Will Tye.

After the Giants drafted Evan Engram in the first round of the NFL Draft, Tye found himself as the odd-man out. He quickly found a new home, one that’s very close to where he started his NFL career.

It’s no secret that the Jets have had a need for tight end production for awhile.

Former offensive coordinator Chan Gailey made the position a complete non-factor, which hurt the Jets offense as a whole. With John Morton taking over Gailey’s job, the organization is hopeful that he can help rejuvenate the position.

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Just a week after being claimed, Tye made his Jets debut in the team’s season opener against Buffalo. The 25-year-old had a very solid start to his Jets career.

According to Pro Football Focus, Tye had the third-highest offensive grade among Jets players in Week 1 (74.1). The tight end caught all three of his targeted passes for 34 yards. Quarterback Josh McCown had a passer rating of 113.9 when he targeted his new tight end.

Tye played 37 offensive snaps on Sunday and was used in a variety of roles.

  • TE: 22 snaps
  • Slot: 10 snaps
  • FB: 3 snaps
  • Outside WR: 2 snaps

The Jets were able to move Tye around the field, which could add versatility to their offense. Tye doesn’t rank as a very good run-blocker but could be very valuable in the team’s passing game.

He has at least 40 receptions in each of his first two seasons. To put that into perspective, the Jets tight ends last season—Austin Serafin-Jenkins and Brandon Bostick—had a combined 18 catches in 2016.

As he continues to learn the team’s offense, Tye could play a role similar to the one he played in the season opener. His pass-catching ability adds another weapon for the Jets quarterbacks to work with.

It’s still early in the season, but Will Tye had a positive start to his Jet career. Gang Green should be hopeful that Tye can help fix the team’s recent struggles at the tight end position.