[This article has been updated]

Michigan is going to lose a chunk of their tight end depth, including a former starter who previously told the program he was returning. Erick All is the big one, since we were planning on him returning to start next season with Luke Schoonmaker going to the senior bowl:

All should have two years of eligibility left thanks to the COVID year and a medshirt for 2022.

[Hit THE JUMP for a career summary, Hansen, and analysis]

Exit Erick All

All had ten starts in 2021 and played in 30 in total games for Michigan from 2018-2021. He was one of the most important pieces of last year's run, winning kickout blocks at the point of attack for Michigan's power running game on the regular. He also took the winning crossing route to the house on a bum ankle to beat Penn State on the road.

I know we don't like to remember 2020 but he had the block of the year:

And there was an entire drive against Georgia last year that was just All making great blocks and catches (until Cade went away from All and threw an interception). Michigan fans have many, many reasons to be grateful for his time here. Last year doesn't happen without him.

I also get why this feels like a betrayal. Insider boards (and some common phrasing with the Acheampong announcement) are all pointing to this being an NIL thing. [UPDATE: I have two independent sources I trust who say it wasn't an NIL thing but a disagreement related to the treatment of All's injury. Due to medical privacy it's impossible to say what the specific disagreement is about.] It also may be an injury thing and a family thing--All became a father this year, and also lost the season to a back injury. Hopefully he's going to make a full recovery and have a long NFL career, but if that's in jeopardy it makes sense to explore all available options.

It also makes sense for Iowa, which bases its offense on tight ends, and is losing their good one as well as their last two functional receivers, to be taking big swings on free agent receiving options this offseason.

Exit Lou Hansen

Redshirt freshman TE Louis Hansen is also in the portal, he announced today (the first day the portal's officially open).

This one was more expected, since Hansen hasn't been able to see the field. Being behind Schoonmaker and All was one thing, but Hansen is also behind true freshman Colston Loveland, walk-on classmate Max Bredeson, and So/Jr Matthew Hibner. He might have had a much better shot at playing time next year with All, Schoonmaker, Joel Honigford, and Carter Seltzer departing.

Michigan should still be fine with Loveland/Bredeson/Hibner next year. An offensive lineman could take Honigford's role, speedster Marlin Klein will be coming off a redshirt, and it's not like Michigan struggles to recruit the position. They may however want to take another swing at convincing Schoonmaker to use his 6th year.