New York Giants Training Camp Player Preview: TE Ricky Seals-Jones

New York Giants tight end Ricky Seals-Jones projects to be a part of a revamped Giants tight ends room this season. Let's find out more about him.

New York Giants tight end Ricky Seals-Jones was one of the first veterans signed to lead a total transformation of the team's tight ends room.

Seals-Jones played four years at Texas A&M as a wide receiver. After being red-shirted in his first season (2013) due to a season-ending injury, Seals-Jones went on to have a bounce-back performance as a redshirt freshman in 2014, in which he recorded a career-high 49 receptions for 465 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games played.

The following season, Seals-Jones reeled in 45 receptions for a career-high 560 yards and four touchdowns.

Following his junior season in 2016, Seals-Jones declared for the 2017 NFL Draft. Despite going undrafted, Seals-Jones was signed by the Arizona Cardinals, who converted him from receiver to tight end during his first training camp.

In his two seasons at Arizona, Seals-Jones posted 554 yards on 46 receptions (out of 97 targets) to go with four touchdowns. He also recorded seven drops and five penalties committed during his time in Arizona.

The Cardinals waived him in 2019, and the Cleveland Browns scooped him up. With Cleveland, Seals-Jones played in 14 games with three starts, catching 14 out of 22 pass targets for 229 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.

In 2020, Seals-Jones signed with the Chiefs, appearing in two regular-season games without a reception (he was targeted just once). He was waived on January 2, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad four days later. Then on January 16, 2021, Seals-Jones was promoted to the active roster in time for the Chiefs' Super Bowl LV appearance against the Bucs.

In 2021, Seals-Jones signed with the Commanders, producing as a backup for tight end Logan Thomas. In the 13 games he played (six starts), Seals-Jones recorded 30 receptions on 49 targets for 271 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came against the Giants in a Week 2 Thursday night game.

Seals-Jones was not retained by the Commanders and was among the first free-agent signings by the Giants' new regime.

What He Brings

Patricia Traina, Giants Country

As a high school prospect, Seals-Jones was a two-sport athlete that played football and basketball. Though he chose to pursue football, his acquired skills from both sports allowed him to develop into a good receiving tight end.

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 243 pounds, Seals-Jones’ lanky-strong frame allows him to contest for jump-balls well and wall off defensive backs and linebackers. This was put on display last season when Seals-Jones scored against the Giants, using his size and extension to reel in a huge catch while remaining in bounds for the touchdown.

Seals-Jones provides a big presence in the middle of the field. He's also aggressive, and that shows up in his blocking. In the running game, he used his body to cover up defenders and allowed the ball carrier to decide the best place to run.

Although Seals-Jones won't push a man off the point of attack, he uses his frame to cover defenders up and seal them off for the ball carriers. He can also climb to the second level to block defenders and move across the line for kick-out blocks.

His Contract

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Seals-Jones was signed to a one-year deal worth $1,187,500, which includes a $152,500 signing bonus. He will earn a base salary of $1.035 million and carry a cap hit of $1.047 million. Seals-Jones has a dead cap of $352,500 should the Giants release him.

Roster Projection/Expectation

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Barring injury, Seals-Jones should make the roster and be among those in line for a healthy dose of snaps every week. Seals-Jones figures to be deployed more as an inline blocker (his strength), while rookie Daniel Bellinger might see more of the pass targets. Still, Seals-Jones has shown he can operate as a starter assigned to carry a decent workload.  

 

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