Fells is more of a blocking tight end who will fall in line behind Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez on New England's depth chart. He should also allow the team to use less tackle-eligible tight end sets than it did a year ago when rookie tackle Nate Solder had to bounce outside with regularity.
(UPDATE: Our pals over at ProFootballFocus.com claim that Fells is a "terrible" blocker, not nearly the guy in that area that some are reporting. I'll be honest, I've not spent a lot of time breaking down his blocking skills. So I'll have to let the other experts battle it out in this one!)
The Patriots actually showed interest in Fells prior to the 2010 season. The 6-4, 252-pounder caught 19 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns last season in Denver.
In five NFL seasons with the Falcons, Rams and Broncos out of Cal-Davis, Fells has hauled in 88 passes for 1,001 yards and eight touchdowns. His best season came in St. Louis in 2010 with 41 catches for 391 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Fells adds youthful depth and versatility to the tight end position and gives the Patriots another addition to the best tight end depth chart in the NFL. He's also seemingly durable, having played in all 16 games in each of the last two seasons.
