Ryan Izzo is not the most talented tight end. But he was able to stay on the field this season.
That’s necessarily what Bill Belichick wondered Tuesday about Izzo, who has been the New England Patriots’ number one by default in the team’s first nine games.
“Sustainability is more vital than capacity, and Ryan, I think, is a wonderful example of that,” Belichick said. “The fact that he was there gave him a chance to improve, and he took it and gave us a smart game in that position. Of course, this is its maximum productive year, but it is also its maximum sustainable year. “
After lacking his entire rookie season in 2018 and being exiled to the inactive roster midway through his disappointing 2019 campaign, Izzo was a fixture on New England’s offense in 2020. He played 80Array 3% off the team’s offensive plays, the second the talented Patriots players, wide receiver Damiere Byrd (92. 4%).
Izzo went slightly out of the box on the Patriots’ two-game winning streak, posting 76 of 81 shots (9. 8%) versus the New York Jets in Week 9 and 54 of 58 (9. 3. 1%) opposed to the Baltimore Ravens. last Sunday despite being listed as questionable for either game with a hamstring injury.
That durability kept the Patriots core team from completely collapsing, Izzo’s statistical effects weren’t impressive. Among the NFL’s tight ends, the 24-year-old ranks 42nd in receiving yards (134), 47th in goals (16) and tied for 49th in receptions (10). In the Pro Football Focus player rankings, he is ranked 60th out of 68 ranked tight ends.
The tight Patriots finish as a last unit in the NFL in receptions and goals and time to last in receiving yards.
Still, Izzo has been the trusted member of that job organization, as well as winger Jakob Johnson. Third-round picks Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene have combined for a single goal to an 8-yard goal this season, and both are on injured reserve lately.
Izzo had a 20-yard reception at Baltimore that set up the first of two touchdowns for running back Rex Burkhead.
“In soccer, the main thing is reliability and availability,” Belichick said. “A player who is there every day and who can keep working, and is very valuable to the team, and Ryan has been able to do that this year more than any other. Where is here.
“Hard work. He has been a quiet child, very diligent and hard-working. But unfortunately he had some physical setbacks in which he played, then he ran out of time and could not have the consistency on the field that any player wants to improve and succeed.
“I think his training, his overall physical progression has improved, and that has served him well in terms of maintaining his durability and supporting day after day the practices, preparation and games that have brought him to this point. here. “
The Patriots completed their tight organization last week by claiming third-year player Jordan Thomas for the Arizona Cardinals exemption. Thomas idle opposite the Ravens, but could make his New England deyet this Sunday against the Houston Texans.