Noah Fant is looking for a new home in the NFL.
The former Iowa tight end was released by the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday after spending three seasons in the Pacific Northwest. Reports are that the Seahawks released Fant to give more playing time to a couple of younger tight ends on the roster, AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo.
Fant was drafted 20th overall in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos after a strong career with the Hawkeyes.
Across three seasons in Iowa City, Fant appeared in 35 games and had 78 receptions for 1,083 yards and 19 touchdowns. What Fant lacked in blocking ability, he more than made up for in size and speed at the position. Fant was a matchup nightmare that had NFL offensive coordinators salivating.
Fant was really good in Denver, playing in 47 games across three seasons in Mile High. Fant notched 170 receptions, 1,905 yards and 10 touchdowns during his time as a Bronco. Fant’s time in Denver came to an end when he was shipped to Seattle in the Russell Wilson trade, a move that both sides may regret now.
Fant played three seasons in Seattle, appearing in 48 games, registering 130 receptions, 1,400 yards, and five touchdowns as a Seahawk. The 6-foot-4 tight end never found quite the same level of success in Seattle as he did during his time in Denver.
Part of that was due to a cut in his targets, which went from 249 in Denver to 170 in Seattle. It seems that both sides are looking for a change of scenery, leading to Fant’s release on Sunday.
Fant is still just 27 years old and should find a new home quickly. There are plenty of tight end-needy teams that would love the chance to take a flyer on a former first-round pick who’s super talented and still has some tread left on his tires. But for now, it’s the end of the Fant era in Seattle.
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