Tight End

[RepStar15]

Anyone else surprised they did not draft a TE. Do they think Byrd is a serviceable backup? Right now it’s just him, Graham and Kendricks

 

[Poppa San]

Surprised they didn't throw a 4-5th at the position. These guys still out there though not much atm.

Tight Ends
Marcedes Lewis (33)
Antonio Gates (37)
Brent Celek (33)
Julius Thomas (29)
Mychal Rivera (27)
Chris Gragg (27)
Anthony Fasano (33)
Jeff Cumberland (30)
Brandon Williams (30)
Clay Harbor (30)
Zach Miller (33)

Some may become available over the next week and a few UDFA's are in also.

 

[RepStar15]

Surprised they didn't throw a 4-5th at the position. These guys still out there though not much atm. Some may become available over the next week and a few UDFA's are in also.

Of this list Julius Thomas is the most interesting. Would have to be a cheap deal though.

 

[Poppa San]

Of this list Julius Thomas is the most interesting. Would have to be a cheap deal though.

Are there any other types of deals this time of the season??

 

[thisisnate]

Surprised, but we'll be fine for this year. Will need to be addressed next year, but it seems like we super-solidified a few positions this year and will have relatively few positions of need to address next year (knock on wood).

 

[HardRightEdge]

For what its worth, the Packers also have Robert Tonyan on the roster and Kevin Radar signed as a UDFA. I confess to knowing nothing about any of those potential #3 TEs. The winner in that competition may end up on the PS if none demonstrate any particular special team utility.

In my opinion, a TE of note in the draft, going 3 deep at the position, would have been a luxury pick.

While it would be nice to have a guy who can catch and in-line block respectably (Cook, what Bennet was supposed to be), I suspect McCarthy has some other ideas:

1. More 4 wide with Graham split. With 3 WR draftees and a couple of developmental guys and Graham not an in-line player, the approach may be more spread-the-field and run-between-the-tackles. The Packers have always favored that run game anyway and have the backs to do it.

2. In short yardage, use an OT as the TE as was done with Spriggs in the past. That still leaves 3 wide and the RB as targets if you want to switch it up. Graham or Kendricks would be serviceable in the occasional 7 man front

 

[HardRightEdge]

Of this list Julius Thomas is the most interesting. Would have to be a cheap deal though.

Why? What for? I must have missed something. Is the pass catching TE who doesn't block well the absolute priority position on the roster to go 3 deep?

 

[GleefulGary]

This just wasn't a good TE class.

 

[Dantés]

Go sign Marcedes Lewis and draft one next year.

 

[McKnowledge]

Surprised they didn't throw a 4-5th at the position. These guys still out there though not much atm. Some may become available over the next week and a few UDFA's are in also.

Outside of Graham and Kendricks, Packers need a blocking TE. A decent option is either Mercedes Lewis or Zach Miller. 1 year rentals. Veterans that know the game, their role, and the "endgame". Vets>rookies. No UDFA TEs!!!

 

[sschind]

Of this list Julius Thomas is the most interesting. Would have to be a cheap deal though.

Since Graham and Kendricks will be 1 and 2 anyone would have to be cheap. Mychal Rivera might be worth a look.

 

[LambeauLombardi]

I'll be the first one to admit that Kendricks was bad last year. In saying that, he had 50 catches for 500 yards playing with a struggling/less confident Jared Goff in 2016. I'm not ready to completely ditch him now. What we need to add/keep is ANY guy at this position who can block because Graham can't.

 

[906Fan]

I don’t think we need an old TE out of the FA cause we already picked up one this year. I think we need a young TE to replace him in 2 years.

 

[OldSchool101]

I suspect while we ignored TE this year, our front office may have had their eye firmly on other position groups. We may be thinking a staggered approach to Graham’s contract by drafting his successor later in one of the early rounds. (if not done in FA beforehand as we seem to like going FA at the TE position lately.

It seems we knowingly just invested in Graham and that mitigated any need to prioritize a 2018 TE prospect consideration before day 3.
I Also have a feeling the 3 WRs picked we felt all could’ve (and rightly should’ve) been gone by our pick rounds 4-6 so it was more a matter of BPA (with the idea of the exodus of both Jordy and Janis in the background)
I thought it was quite telling that our original pick #101 was used by the Panthers to pick TE Ian Thomas the first pick day 3. IMO he would’ve been on our radar as a value no later than pick #138 and possibly as early as #101.

 

[Titletown01]

I'll be the first one to admit that Kendricks was bad last year. In saying that, he had 50 catches for 500 yards playing with a struggling/less confident Jared Goff in 2016. I'm not ready to completely ditch him now. What we need to add/keep is ANY guy at this position who can block because Graham can't.

Same. I’m not going to judge him completely yet after one year with Hundley as his primary QB.

 

[PackFan2]

Dolphins just loaded up on the Tight End position in the draft. Thomas Duarte seems like the odd man out and could be release. Hes a Jordan Reed 2.0 so wont ne asked to block much.

 

[Dantés]

Dolphins just loaded up on the Tight End position in the draft. Thomas Duarte seems like the odd man out and could be release. Hes a Jordan Reed 2.0 so wont ne asked to block much.

Nice research.

I’m not sold that Duarte is athletic enough to make it at his size. He was solidly above average for TE’s but at 230 lbs. At that size, I’d want to see him blowing up the metrics.

It’s also a little disturbing that he has 1 game player and 0 catches through two seasons.

 

[gbgary]

Nice research.

I’m not sold that Duarte is athletic enough to make it at his size. He was solidly above average for TE’s but at 230 lbs. At that size, I’d want to see him blowing up the metrics.

It’s also a little disturbing that he has 1 game player and 0 catches through two seasons.

he'd be a backup backup. what's the harm?

 

[PackFan2]

Nice research.

I’m not sold that Duarte is athletic enough to make it at his size. He was solidly above average for TE’s but at 230 lbs. At that size, I’d want to see him blowing up the metrics.

It’s also a little disturbing that he has 1 game player and 0 catches through two seasons.

He has same metrics as Jordan Reed coming out of college. College stat wise, Duarte did better than Reed too. Not sure why he hasn't been given more opportunities. It's also not that he hasnt performed well. Duarte has performed well in the preseason games catching at least two tds in each of the preseason he's been in (last that I knew). I know we all wouldn't mind having a Jordan Reed 2.0 on our team, like that last time Reed torched us.

 

[PackFan2]

he'd be a backup backup. what's the harm?

Or at least at special teams

 

[Dantés]

He has same metrics as Jordan Reed coming out of college. College stat wise, Duarte did better than Reed too. Not sure why he hasn't been given more opportunities. It's also not that he hasnt performed well. Duarte has performed well in the preseason games catching at least two tds in each of the preseason he's been in (last that I knew). I know we all wouldn't mind having a Jordan Reed 2.0 on our team, like that last time Reed torched us.

They're the same size and ran the same forty, but there aren't any numbers for Reed in the jumps or agility drills so it's hard to compare the two.

But hey, no harm in giving him a look should the opportunity present itself.

 

[PackFan2]

Chiefs are also loaded at RB, look for a veteran to be pushed out.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

He has same metrics as Jordan Reed coming out of college. College stat wise, Duarte did better than Reed too. Not sure why he hasn't been given more opportunities. It's also not that he hasnt performed well. Duarte has performed well in the preseason games catching at least two tds in each of the preseason he's been in (last that I knew). I know we all wouldn't mind having a Jordan Reed 2.0 on our team, like that last time Reed torched us.

Reed played a lot of QB in college. So it's not too hard to outproduce his college stats.

 

[PikeBadger]

The Saints, Dolphins, Rams, Eagles and Falcons have some salary cap casualties yet to come so we may be able to get a vet TE from that group of five yet.

 

[GleefulGary]

The Saints, Dolphins, Rams, Eagles and Falcons have some salary cap casualties yet to come so we may be able to get a vet TE from that group of five yet.

And the Ravens...they drafted 2 TE's. They'll cut somebody.