Who Should I Start? Mo Alie-Cox or Hayden Hurst

Friday, February 23, 2:30 PM

The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox is an easy target if the team wishes to create more salary cap space this offseason. He's entering the final year of a three-year, $17.6 million contract extension that he signed in 2022. Alie-Cox is due the last $5.9 million of that in 2024, but none of it is guaranteed. The 30-year-old is the team's best blocking tight end and has recorded at least three touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, but he's not getting any younger and is unlikely to develop into a true No. 1 pass-catching tight end at this point of his career. Both Will Mallory and third-year tight end Jelani Woods, who missed all of 2023 with hamstring issues, give the Colts more upside at the position amid their current youth movement. Alie-Cox hasn't been much more than a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 option for fantasy managers in deep leagues.

Thursday, March 14, 1:52 PM

Free-agent tight end Hayden Hurst (concussion) is visiting the Los Angeles Chargers with the intention to sign with the team, according to a source. Hurst was recently released by the Carolina Panthers. The 30-year-old veteran signed a three-year, $21.75 million deal with the Panthers last offseason but missed the final eight games last year due to a serious post-traumatic amnesia concussion. There were questions as to whether Hurst would even continue his career, but he's apparently recovered and plans to continue playing in 2024. Veteran Gerald Everett is no longer in LA, but they still have Donald Parham Jr. and recently signed Will Dissly to the TE room, so Hurst would be battling for playing time with those two if he were to sign with the Chargers. Hurst, a former first-rounder (25th overall) in 2018, caught just 18 passes for 184 yards and one touchdown in Carolina last year.