As the New England Patriots head into the offseason looking for more weapons to convince Tom Brady to return, they’re reportedly among the teams targeting Baltimore Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst.
According to The Florida Times-Union’s Eugene Frenette, the Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars are exploring pre-draft trades for Baltimore’s 26-year-old tight end.
Hurst, a first-round pick in 2018, fell behind fellow 2018 draftee Mark Andrews on Baltimore’s depth chart. The 6-foot-4 tight end is reportedly seeking more opportunities to catch passes next season, which he could certainly find with the Patriots or Jaguars.
New England’s offense struggled this past season without Rob Gronkowski and tight end is one of its biggest needs heading into the offseason. Meanwhile, the Jaguars reportedly planned to draft Hurst before Baltimore selected him with the No. 25 overall pick.
While the Ravens aren’t shopping Hurst, per Frenette’s report, it could make sense for the front office to move him since Andrews emerged as a Pro Bowl weapon in 2019. If Hurst becomes available, there will certainly be plenty of teams interested in acquiring him.