“It was frustrating for some people that didn’t understand it from the outside perspective, but I think it was still good for me to sit behind those guys and learn,” Tonyan explained. “I feel like I am so much more confident that I did do that last year and wasn’t put in bad situations.

“Did I want to play? Yeah. But at the end of the day, I do understand the situation and what was going on. I’m still trying to learn the tight end position. I’m not going to complain about playing time or where I’m at. I think sitting behind and growing behind Jimmy, Marcedes and Lance, I think just getting that extra teaching and now having another offseason with Jimmy and Marcedes has made me so much more comfortable out there and so much more confident.”

Of course, that didn’t do Bobby’s buddies back home — all of whom have him on their fantasy football teams — much good.

“Some of them took me in the first round last year. That is friendship,” Tonyan said. “But that is also being bad at being a fantasy manager.”

Even with Graham and Lewis back this year, Tonyan’s friends should get more statistical production from him this season, especially as he grows as a run-blocker since LaFleur’s scheme relies heavily on running a host of different plays from the same formation to leave defenses guessing.