Chargers 90-in-90: TE Andrew Vollert

Andrew Vollert comes to Chargers following a stint with both the Arizona Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bengals. Prior to signing with AZ as an undrafted free agent, Vollert was a two-time FCS All-American at Weber State where he caught 123 passes for 1.613 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Prior to Weber State, Vollert spent a single season at San Francisco City College after he spent the the first year of his collegiate career with the San Jose Spartans.

After spending the majority of his career on the Bengals’ practice squad, the Chargers signed Vollert earlier this offseason on May 23rd.

Basic Info

Height: 6-5
Weight: 245
College: Weber State/ San Jose State
Experience: 1
Years with the team: 0

Contract Status

“Andrew Vollert signed a 2 year, $1,080,000 contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, including an average annual salary of $540,000. In 2019, Vollert will earn a base salary of $495,000, while carrying a cap hit of $495,000.” - Spotrac.com

The Good

Vollert brings a vertical presence that fits perfectly within the Chargers’ tight end room. If you delve into the Weber State film from 2016-2017, you’ll notice Vollert’s 6-foot-5 frame getting utilized throughout, especially near the end zone. Vollert’s most popular route is definitely the seam where he can out-leverage the linebackers and create space with what has to be an exceptional basketball background.

In the end, Vollert looked like the dominant player that one needs to be to standout at the mid-major level. He’s still young, so time will tell if he can make an impact for any team in this league.

The Bad

It doesn’t look like Vollert did much in the way of run-blocking while at Weber State and that will definitely hold the young tight end back from making a lasting impression on the Chargers’ coaching staff.

Guys like Sean Culkin and Virgil Green are not known for their pass-catching abilites. Instead, they are on the inside track to making this team as the second and third tight ends because of their ability to block.

Odds of making the roster/What to expect in 2019

I don’t Vollert stands any sort of a real chance to make the final 53-man roster. With Antonio Gates still out there, not retiring, there’s really no chance for any other tight ends besides the top-3 to make the final roster.

Fun Fact: Vollert caught his first career reception for 29 yards in a game for San Jose State but would up injured and missed the entirety of his first collegiate season.