With Dustin Keller and long snapping specialist James Dearth the only tight ends on the active roster, the Jets need to gain some depth at tight end. They are apparently in the market for former Bill Robert Royal.
Bills tight end Robert Royal is visiting the Jets this evening.
Royal comes from the Anthony Becht/Kyle Brady school of tight end play. That is to say he is a good run blocker but runs poor routes and has stone hands. At 31, he has limited upside. In a purely run blocking backup, role he would be fine. However, the Jets can probably find somebody with a bit more ability.
What this shows is cutting Chris Baker was a mistake. At the time, it seemed like a good move. That was when it looked like the team was just shedding cap space to become a modest player in free agency. $2 million in savings for a backup tight end. After dramatic cuts such as Brandon Moore and Laveranues Coles, there was plenty of money in the coffers. Cutting Baker became penny wise and pound foolish. Now they could end up with a guy like Royal, who is literally a fraction of the threat at receiver while not providing an upgrade in blocking. His salary was around $2 million a year ago. If the Jets give him a similar deal, they will have washed out the savings from Baker on an inferior player.