The tight end position has been a thorn in the ' side for the bulk of the era. Sure, there have been some solid receiving campaigns from sprinkled Yonder Alonso Jersey in during the early years of Stafford's tenure, but tight end has really been a non-factor for the last few years. Drafting in the 2014 NFL Draft could be looked at as a bust in many circles given his No. 10 overall billing.With Ebron out of the picture catching touchdowns in Indianapolis, that spot in Detroit's offense was e sentially a black hole in 2018. The 6-10 Lions saw tight ends targeted on just under 12 percent of Stafford's throws last year for a combined 461 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Not exactly a juggernaut. While Matt Patricia wasn't able to get a lot out of that spot during his first year as head coach in the Motor City, there's hope blo soming in 2019. The Lions fired former offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter and have hired Darrell Bevell, formerly of the . Along with that new leadership on the offensive side of the ball, Detroit's seen a retooling at the position, spending top draft capital and big cash in free agency in hopes to make it a more lethal part of their offense.For the first time in a long time, there's hope at the tight end position with the Lions. T.J. HockensonWhy not start with the No. 8 overall pick? Naturally, given his draft status, Hockenson comes to Detroit oozing with potential. The former Iowa product headlined a strong tight end cla s in 2019 -- fitting, as he was bestowed the John Mackey Award for 2018, an award that honors the top tight end in college football.The receiving stats (47 receptions for 717 yards and six touchdowns in 2018) speak for themselves, but what separates Hockenson from the rest and makes him a rare prospect entering the NFL is his blocking ability. had the 6-foot-5, 247-pounder ranked as the fifth highest graded run blocker among Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey Power 5 tight ends in 2018.Of course, it's unfair to speak about a rookie in the same breath as former star Rob Gronkowski, but it's that versatility as a blocker combined with his skills as a receiver that has him as a potential star in this league. Before even placing Hockenson in their tight end stable, the Lions went out in free agency to addre sed the position by signing Je se James to a four-year, $22.6 million contract.With the , James made a name for himself as a solid all-around tight end. He was a complimentary pa s catching addition for the offense (30 receptions for 423 yards and two touchdowns in 2018), but his bread and butter was really in pa s protection. As a pa s blocker, gave James a 76.8 grade. He managed that as he played in around half of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps.With Detroit paying him as much as they did, they undoubtedly have plans to use him Omar Vizquel Jersey even more in 2019, especially as Hockenson gets his feet wet in the early goings of his rookie season. The other guysOf course, there's more to the Lions tight end depth chart than just Hockenson and James. , , and make up the rest of the position.Out of that bunch, Cunningham is the only tight end that was with the Lions in 2018, but he mostly spent time on the practice squad. Meanwhile, Traylor was signed back on July 22, days before the the start of training camp, so he'll have an uphill battle to make the opening 53-man roster.Veteran Logan Thomas and 2019 seventh-round pick I sac Nauta are the intriguing pair in this crop and are the leading candidates to join Hockenson and James on the Week 1 roster. Thomas is in his second stint with the Lions. Back in 2016, Thomas joined Detroit for a brief moment mid-season as the franchise attempted to turn the former Virginia Tech quarterback into a tight end. Just days after arriving, he was signed off the Lions practice squad by the , where he spent the next two seasons. Last year, Thomas played in 12 games for Buffalo and totaled 12 receptions for 77 yards. Given his size (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) and athletic ability, Michael Brantley Jersey there's potential still in Thomas to incentivize the Lions in keeping him around.With Nauta, the former Georgia tight end has been impre sing in camp early with some strong catches. What could earn him a spot on the 53-man roster is his versatility, as he reportedly could be used as an H-back in Detroit's offense.Darrell Bevell's impactThe arrival of Bevell will undoubtedly change how the Lions play on offense, but what does it mean for the tight end position? What Bevell has been known for over the course of his career as an offensive coordinator in the NFL has really been his strong backfield. That could simply be thanks to the Cleveland Indians Jersey talent that he had at the position with in Minnesota and then in Seattle. That said, it is safe to wonder if this hire really means more for second-year back than it does for the tight end unit.Again, the succe s for running backs in Bevell's system could simply be due to the talent he was given at the time. There are tight ends that have seen relative succe s in his offense from a receiving standpoint.Former tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was solid, logging over 500 yards receiving for three straight seasons under Bevell. Even , while he wasn't what he was during his days in New Orleans, did go for 923 yards receiving in 2016 with Seattle and notched double-digit touchdowns the following year. Nothing's a sure thing in the NFL, but there's optimism in Detroit at tight end, which couldn't be said at this time last year.