Chargers Daily Links: CBS Sports ranks Gates, Winslow among top-5 TEs in NFL history

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Good morning, Chargers fans!

Following Travis Kelce’s hat trick performance against the Chargers on Sunday Night Football, CBS Sports decided to post an updated top-10 list of their greatest tight ends in NFL history.

Kelce was ranked #6, still behind plenty of talented tight ends, including the legendary Chargers duo of Kellen Winslow and Antonio Gates. CBS Sports ranked them fourth and fifth, respectively, just ahead of the current Chiefs tight end.

Here’s what they had to say about Gates:

“You can make the case that he should be higher. While the eight-time Pro Bowler didn’t necessarily revolutionize the position or serve as an absolute matchup nightmare a la Gronk, he was about as consistent as they come. Absent for just 20 games in 16 years, the former basketball player was the safety valve in the Chargers’ offense for almost the entirety of his career, hauling in at least 60 passes nine different times and leading all NFL tight ends with 116 career touchdown catches.”

Here’s what they had to say about Winslow:

“If Gronk redefined the TE position for his generation, then Winslow defined it for his. While most players at his position were used as extra blockers, he exploded as a true deep threat for Chargers Hall of Famer Dan Fouts and produced numbers that, at the time, were unprecedented for TEs. Once called a “wide receiver in an offensive lineman’s body,” he played even fewer games than Gronk but started 94 of his 109 outings, logging three 1,000-yard seasons in a time when passing was far from what it is today.”

Hey, as long as both remain ahead of Kelce on the majority of these rankings, I’ll be just fine. When context comes into play, both were ahead of their time.

And now for today’s links.

Chargers News:

The Chargers are feeling a sense of urgency ahead of week 12 (Chargers.com)

Top Twitter reactions to the Chargers’ loss (Chargers Wire)

Monday’s full media transcript from Brandon Staley (Chargers.com)

Melvin Gordon release gives Chargers the last laugh (Bolt Beat)

NFL News:

Full rosters for all XFL teams (ESPN)

Bill Barnwell breaks down four contenders who struggled in week 11 (ESPN+)

Winners and losers from week 11 (CBS Sports)

Melvin Gordon was waived by the Broncos following another fumble (NFL.com)

Kyle Pitts was placed on IR (Pro Football Talk)

Six rookies who everyone wants to see more of in 2022 (Bleacher Report)