New England Patriots: Kahale Warring pickup a good sign even as he’s cut

The New England Patriots signed a new tight end, Kahale Warring, off of waivers from the Houston Texans the other day. Despite the fact that he has already been waived by New England, that acquisition was a good “sign” for the team.

First, the Patriots are thin at the tight end position. Very thin. You may ask why? They have spent massive resources on that very position the past two seasons.

Indeed they have, yet they are still quite thin at the position and it could jeopardize their entire 2021 season.

That’s why the erstwhile acquisition of Kahale Warring, or now any other tight end, is a good “sign” if not a good signing.

He wasn’t a good signing. Yet, here’s why he was a good “sign”.

Why the New England Patriots signing of Kahale Warring was a good “sign”

Signing Warring was an acknowledgment by the New England Patriots that all is not as solid as it seems in a potentially very important component of the offense.

The fact that Kahale Warring came to town embodied that acknowledgment. He wasn’t likely to be a solid player and he wasn’t. He’s already waived! Easy come, easy go!

He caught three passes in seven games for the Texans last season. Not exactly earth-shattering production. So why the positive note?

It’s because it’s a good sign, it signifies something. This may just seem like semantics but it’s actually real.

Let’s explore why this signing, or more specifically, what it represents was a good thing for the New England Patriots.

There are several reasons. First, the New England Patriots in the past two offseasons have expended massive resources both in the draft and in actual capital on the tight end position.

They drafted two third-round tight ends in the 2020 draft. Expectations were high, very high for the two players and both were results of a draft-day trade-up by the Patriots.

One is now on IR and will likely never be a contributor to the Patriots, Dalton Keene. The other is the more highly touted player, Devin Asiasi.

Neither has really done anything to enamor them to Patriots Nation. In sum, both have been wasted picks to date. They flopped. Collectively, they caught five passes in 2020.

So the signing of Warring, even though he’s been waived in a day or so, or anyone else at the position for that matter, had to be of itself considered a positive sign.

Any attempt to add depth at tight end. There is a gaping hole in the tight end position that needs to be filled.

As an advocate of added strength at the position, it was at least a step in the right direction, not a very solid one, of course, but a step nonetheless.

Why the New England Patriots signing of another tight end is a positive

With the flops of the two tight ends drafted last season evident, the Patriots acknowledged their mistakes.

They sailed into the free-agent market at the position with a vengeance. Now that in itself is interesting, and frankly a highly important development.

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Again, the keywords are an acknowledgment. Bringing in Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry were good moves. They have talent, an attribute missing in Patriot tight ends last season.

The issue with both, however, is an inability to stay on the field. Both have had injury issues in the past and now also with the Patriots. That’s why depth at that position is so crucial.

Expect one or both to be on the injury list this season likely for multiple games. It just is what it is. That’s why even the addition of a Kahale Warring type, a waiver wire guy, whomever, is a positive, a good sign.

The real remedy for the situation, however, is to trade for another bonafide NFL tight end before the season starts. One who can either block or catch.

A classic example would be a Dwayne Allen type. Allen was with the team in 2017 and in 2018, a Super Bowl-winning team.

Allen couldn’t catch at all (13 catches in two seasons in New England) but he could block up a storm. That type of addition would be just fine.

The Patriots had the other type, Jacob Hollister, but let him go. Hollister could catch the ball. Each was a one-dimensional player but at that one skill, they were fine. Just go get one.

You’re unlikely without a top expenditure of draft capital or the trade of a player(s) to get one who can do both. That’s OK. Adding either ability would be just fine.

Couple that player with Smith or Henry (or both?), and the Patriots will be able to deploy a two-tight end scheme on offense once again. That’s a good thing.

So, that’s why Kahale Warring’s signing (although he’s now been waived) was at least a good “sign”.

It demonstrated the team’s acknowledgment that they remain thin at the tight end position and they need to remedy that lack of depth now.

That’s not much to take away from the signing  But it’s something, and right now, that’s all there is.