The New England Patriots added former Buffalo Bills tight end Scott Chandler in free agency this offseason. Chandler is coming off a season in which he caught 47 passes for 497 yards and three touchdowns. The former fourth-rounder may not be the most athletic tight end in the game but his size and speed should fit nicely in New England's offense. In fact, ESPN Patriots reporter Mike Reiss believes that Bill Belichick will use a lot of two-TE formations due to Chandler's physical ability.
"This has been one of my biggest takeaways from practice, how the 6-foot-7, 260-pound Chandler is spending a lot of time with the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Rob Gronkowski," Reiss wrote. "Their work often comes with Tom Brady as quarterback and they are a twin-tower type combination. I do think we could see quite a bit of '12 personnel' (1 back, 2 tight ends) this year if they stay healthy. They both have a large catch radius and I could envision a scenario where they put plenty of stress on opposing defenses, particularly in the red zone."
Now assuming Brady's appeal is shot down, the Pats will be without their Super Bowl MVP quarterback for the first four games. Jimmy Garoppolo, who has had his ups and downs in OTAs, will be the starter during that time. Having two security blankets at TE will go a long way in making him comfortable at the helm. That double tight end formation should not be overlooked for a second-year QB who has only attempted 27 career passes.
Regardless of which QB is starting, the Pats have utilized the two-tight end offense to much success in the past. Relying on it now may be a good way of alleviating some pressure off a running game that lost Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley to free agency this offseason.
