I have been meaning to start a thread about having a great TE.
Rivers has a great one
Romo does too
Brees..
Manning...
Ryan...
Brady
Most elite QBs in the league (the guys above while not all elite hover in the top 10 of QBs) have a great TE. Rodgers has never had that. While we can say Finley had the ability he never put together a complete season. I think an elite TE could do wonders to this offense that has at times struggled.
Your ELITE TE's you mentioned:
Packers could have had Gronkowski and Graham as neither was a 1st round pick.
Packers could have had Tony Gonzalez.
Packers could have had Julius Thomas as he was a day-3 draft pick. I wouldn't call him elite though, and in fact Jermichael Finley was better than he was.....
I've just never ever seen anything in any of these other handful of TE's we have to make me think we have a guy at TE who defenses have to account for.
Here's an early Mock Draft Pick for the Packers next year.
First round pick, they have us taking:
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Green Bay Packers: Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
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With Jermichael Finley heading for free agency (or disability), Green Bay could grab a replacement.
Jace Amaro has been fantastic this year, and he's the top tight end if he leaves Texas Tech.
Troy Nikolas from Notre Dame is THE MAN that I want. I saw him play in person this year here in the Jerry Dome vs ASU and he was a man among boys. He showed big soft hands, and just was too big and strong to handle.
He's raw, like Jimmy Graham was for the Saints. But he's stronger than Graham, not as fast probaby.
Here are a few things about Nikolas (again, I have to learn NOT to get my hopes up on any player because we never ever take the guy I want!)
http://www.csnchicago.com/notre-dame/troy-niklas-becoming-elite-weapon-notre-dame
Troy Niklas becoming elite weapon for Notre Dame
In just his second year playing the position, the 6-foot-7, 270-pound guy nicknamed "Hercules" has developed into a matchup nightmare in the end zone.
"I've just been trying to work as hard as I can to develop as a tight end," Niklas said after Notre Dame's 14-10 win over USC. "I want to be the best, so just practicing, I've been doing well in practice and the coaches have noticed that, and they want to throw me the ball."
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Against Arizona State, he boxed out 5-foot-11, 195-pound safety Alden Darby for a touchdown, looking like a power forward grabbing a rebound over a point guard.
<THAT was the game, play, I saw in person. He's like a power forward being guarded by a point guard, or shooting guard. HERCULES is a good nickname for him.
"I think I'm good right now, but
I think there's another level I can reach," he said.
This guy reminds me a little bit of the big man Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots, only a little bit more mature.
Notre Dame's Niklas is intimidating tight end
http://bostonherald.com/sports/coll.../notre_dames_niklas_is_intimidating_tight_end
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Man of Troy
Junior Troy Niklas seeks to become the next in a line of legendary Irish tight ends
http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/polopoly_fs/1.3059808!/image/2768915162.jpg
In Notre Dame’s home opener against Temple, Niklas caught a pass in the seam near the end of the first half. With only one man to beat — a defensive back nearly a foot smaller than him — Niklas planted a hard step to his left then cut around the safety, rumbling untouched for a 66-yard touchdown.
Then last week at the Big House, senior quarterback Tommy Rees rolled out on a play-action pass, finding Niklas about five yards short of the goal line. Niklas made the catch, then ran straight over Wolverines safety Jarrod Wilson for the score, keeping the Irish in the game.
That combination of speed and power — especially on Niklas’ 6-foot-7, 270 pound frame – presents a Herculean challenge for any defense.
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