Nine, according to ESPN.
ESPN released their tight end power rankings this week and Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley finished 10th.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Jason Witten and the San Diego Chargers’ Antonio Gates were far and away the No. 1 and 2 tight ends in the rankings.
While Finley’s ranking isn’t all that surprising, considering he missed most of the 2010 season, you have to question the rationale of the voters. The Indianapolis Colts’ Dallas Clark, who also missed considerable time with an injury in 2010, came in third.
Clearly, Clark and the top two tight ends have a more robust body of work than Finley. That being said, if you had to choose a tight end for your team right now, I think Finley would be a lot higher.
He’d certainly be chosen before several guys ahead of him on the list, namely Brandon Pettigrew, Mercedes Lewis, Kellen Winslow Jr., Tony Gonzalez and Chris Cooley and possibly Vernon Davis and Clark.
As was previously pointed out, these rankings are supposed to be based on how good the player is now and his potential for the future. Seems the voters more or less ignored that directive in voting on tight ends.