George Kittle contract: Checking on 8 TEs picked ahead in 2017

Day Three Picks

Michael Roberts, Lions

The only tight end selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft was Michael Roberts, a big body at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds out of Toledo.

Even though Roberts didn’t have the athletic prowess of a player like Kittle, he had such a monster final two seasons with the Toledo Rockets that it’s hard to blame the Lions for being intrigued.

Roberts caught 66 passes in his final two collegiate seasons, and 20 of those were touchdowns.

In two seasons with the Lions, Roberts caught 13 passes, three for touchdowns. He last played in 2018 and is now a member of the Miami Dolphins, along with fellow 2017 draftee Adam Shaheen.

Jake Butt, Broncos

The final tight end selected before George Kittle is the player who was taken just one selection overall before him.

The Denver Broncos used the top pick in the fifth round on Michigan’s Jake Butt, an All-American who, at one point, had TE1 potential.

At the time, no one thought this was a bad risk by the Broncos considering Butt’s pedigree and the fact that full recoveries from ACL tears are not abnormal in today’s NFL.

Unfortunately, Butt has only appeared in three regular season games for Denver with continued knee injuries. He is still with the team, hoping to earn a roster spot in 2020.