Assuming the depth chart plays out a certain way is a dangerous game to play. It doesn’t account for injury, decline, or the ascension of an improving less known young player. When the offseason dust settled, it seemed clear that the Saints would be rolling with Coby Fleener, Michael Hoomanawanui and Josh Hill at tight end. All signs point to them retaining three tight ends on the 53 man roster, and those three being the guys. But again, we can’t foresee injury, decline, or a surprise performance by someone that plays too well to be cut. Remember, the Patriots once traded away a very solid tight end to the Saints in David Thomas because they had too many good ones. And remember, veterans like Champ Bailey can get cut even when they’re assumed by everyone to make the final roster because a “nobody” like Brian Dixon impresses. One guy to look out for this year is Chris Manhertz, a tight end that is maturing quickly.
A little less than a year ago he had only been 8 months into trying out the sport of football. Since then, he’s become more comfortable, to the point now where he’s no longer a rookie and ready to compete for a job. The progress has been significant. Now of course he’s just another raw basketball background prospect that may never amount to anything. For every Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates, there’s hundreds of failed experiments with former basketball players trying to transition to football. Perhaps Manhertz will be no different, and perhaps he’s headed to another year on the practice squad if he’s lucky. But when you consider where he’s come from – a basketball player at Canisius College – it’s even less likely of a success story that Delvin Breaux, David Onyemata or Kasim Edebali. This guy has come a really long way already to have been on the Saints practice squad, which means they saw potential in him.
And now he’s here competing for the second straight year, much further along in his development. This is one worth keeping an eye out on because he does have the athleticism to be an impact receiver in the NFL. It’s all about putting it together mentally – as he says in those articles linked above. The final cuts always have a few surprises in store and he’s one to keep an eye on.
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