Tight End

[Arthur Squires]

Not sure if he has signed with a team yet but Cam Serigne is a TE we should kick the tires on. He is blue collar type that will give his all on the field.

 

[AmishMafia]

I was pulling for Dalton Schultz with the first pick in the 5th. Damn Cowboys grabbed him with the last pick in the 4th. He was exactly what we needed. A better blocker than a receiver - but all the tools to develop as a receiver.

The thing with TEs is they take the longest, other than QBs, to develop. Think about it. They have to know the blocking scheme like an OL and they have to learn the passing offense, like a WR. They have only so much time to learn those skills and they have to split time on receiving and blocking. So, any TE we took in this draft probably isn't providing much help for 2 or 3 years. And this was a poor draft for TEs. I think most of the ones taken were over-drafted.

 

[PackerDNA]

Unless- and just a guess on my part- Geseki somehow fell to them later, the plan was to get a veteran TE after the draft. Gute isn't done yet.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

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.

The Eagles drafting Goedert had to raise Richard Rodgers eyebrows.

For now I think the Packers are just fine with Graham, Kendricks and whoever can win the #3 spot. I still believe we didn't fully see what Kendricks is capable of doing and that had a lot to do with it being his first year in GB and Rodgers injury.

 

[PackerDNA]

Well, if anybody's interested, Antonio Gates just became available; Chargers just announced they won't be bringing him back. Gates says he wants to continue playing.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Well, if anybody's interested, Antonio Gates just became available; Chargers just announced they won't be bringing him back. Gates says he wants to continue playing.

Gates would be interesting to bring in. A great guy, loved by his teammates and his community, but just how much is there left in his tank at 38? It's easy to see why the Chargers didn't resign him, 8 TE's currently on their depth chart, but kind of like Jordy, isn't a guy like that a lot more valuable to the only team he has played with than trying to pick up and start over with another team?

Only way I see signing Gates is if he is the best option out there for the Packers to complete their roster at the position and a lot of that would depend on what they think of Emanuel Byrd, Robert Tonyan and anyone else out there.

 

[El Guapo]

Gates is intriguing but only at the veteran minimum. I thought Kendricks showed some promise but never got to work much with Rodgers. Graham will be just fine as our #1. I've been suspecting that we could find a serviceable #3 TE after final roster cuts.

 

[GleefulGary]

All we really need is a guy who can block.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

All we really need is a guy who can block.

So sign a guy like this:

F.N. Bigwall from Grow Em Big U?

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[jetfixer]

I'm guessing if an udfa makes the team this year it may be at TE, I watched highlights of the kid from Mn St. or where ever he was( not the Rader kid) he looked decent. I suspect we will do a little yet in free agency.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

For those looking for a TE, ignore blocking. Today's NFL doesn't want the best TEs to block. The plays that have Gronk, Kelce, Ertz, etz. blocking are plays that the defense is thanking the offense for. Yes, Gronk is actually a good blocker, the rest aren't. The threat of the other guys running a pattern is just as good. Put a great receiving TE on the field and the defense takes a linebacker off the field and puts in a safety/corner to try and cover him. That's just as good as great blocking.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I'm guessing id an udfa makes the team this year it may be at TE, I watched highlights of the kid from Mn St. or where ever he was( not the Rader kid) he looked decent. I suspect we will do a little yet in free agency.

Damon Gibson, Minnesota—Moorhead

Potential but who knows. Not something you count on for sure.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I'm guessing id an udfa makes the team this year it may be at TE, I watched highlights of the kid from Mn St. or where ever he was( not the Rader kid) he looked decent. I suspect we will do a little yet in free agency.

I just watched some highlights I could find of Damon Gibson. It felt like I was watching highlights of a highschool game.

I really don't know how scouts pick these guys out of the small schools and try to figure out how their play with/against guys who wouldn't even make the rosters of bad Division I schools will translate in the NFL.....props to the scouts.

http://www.patriots.com/video/2018/02/19/college-highlights-damon-gibson-te-minnesota-state-moorhead

 

[GleefulGary]

For those looking for a TE, ignore blocking. Today's NFL doesn't want the best TEs to block. The plays that have Gronk, Kelce, Ertz, etz. blocking are plays that the defense is thanking the offense for. Yes, Gronk is actually a good blocker, the rest aren't. The threat of the other guys running a pattern is just as good. Put a great receiving TE on the field and the defense takes a linebacker off the field and puts in a safety/corner to try and cover him. That's just as good as great blocking.

You need one of each, preferably.

 

[Dantés]

For those looking for a TE, ignore blocking. Today's NFL doesn't want the best TEs to block. The plays that have Gronk, Kelce, Ertz, etz. blocking are plays that the defense is thanking the offense for. Yes, Gronk is actually a good blocker, the rest aren't. The threat of the other guys running a pattern is just as good. Put a great receiving TE on the field and the defense takes a linebacker off the field and puts in a safety/corner to try and cover him. That's just as good as great blocking.

Yeah, you don’t want those guys blocking, but you do want other TE’s on the roster who can block. For instance, look at Ertz’s teammate Brent Celek. He’s been basically just a blocker for years and he still played 40% of the offensive snaps last year.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

You need one of each, preferably.

Yes, having Gronk would be amazing. However, barring that, if given the choice between Jimmy Graham (great receiver, bad blocker) and David Morgan (decent receiver and good blocker) I'm pretty sure every team is picking Jimmy Graham. One skill is FAR more important in today's NFL.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Yeah, you don’t want those guys blocking, but you do want other TE’s on the roster who can block. For instance, look at Ertz’s teammate Brent Celek. He’s been basically just a blocker for years and he still played 40% of the offensive snaps last year.

Last year Brent Celek scored lower in run blocking and pass blocking than Jimmy Graham, who isn't exactly a poster-boy for great blocking. I never said that blocking is NOT wanted, just that if you get a great receiving TE who can't block, that doesn't matter! Receiving matters FAR more than blocking for today's NFL when it comes to the tight end position.

 

[GleefulGary]

Yes, having Gronk would be amazing. However, barring that, if given the choice between Jimmy Graham (great receiver, bad blocker) and David Morgan (decent receiver and good blocker) I'm pretty sure every team is picking Jimmy Graham. One skill is FAR more important in today's NFL.

Why not both?

I'm not saying you need to pick one or the other. I understand most TE's that are good at receiving aren't good at blocking, that's why you have one of each. Ideally you get one that's good at both, but unlikely. You can have more than one type on your roster ya know.

 

[Dantés]

Last year Brent Celek scored lower in run blocking and pass blocking than Jimmy Graham, who isn't exactly a poster-boy for great blocking. I never said that blocking is NOT wanted, just that if you get a great receiving TE who can't block, that doesn't matter! Receiving matters FAR more than blocking for today's NFL when it comes to the tight end position.

That might be why the Eagles moved on. But the reason they’ve kept and played Celek for all these years is for his blocking.

I’m not trying to wring my hands over Graham’s lack of blocking skills. I’m just saying I’d like a TE on the roster who can do it.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

That might be why the Eagles moved on. But the reason they’ve kept and played Celek for all these years is for his blocking.

I’m not trying to wring my hands over Graham’s lack of blocking skills. I’m just saying I’d like a TE on the roster who can do it.

While I would prefer the Packers to have a tight end excelling in blocking as well it's definitely not a top priority in today's game. I was surprised Gutekunst didn't draft a single player at the position though.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Why not both?

I'm not saying you need to pick one or the other. I understand most TE's that are good at receiving aren't good at blocking, that's why you have one of each. Ideally you get one that's good at both, but unlikely. You can have more than one type on your roster ya know.

I would imagine because, given two spaces taken up on the roster by tight ends, I would think you would want two tight ends with the most value; i.e., receiving is more valuable in today's NFL so have two receiving TEs. I get the allure of of having the "blocking" TE because that's how it was in the 90's and 00's but today's NFL doesn't need that. Heck, in modern football calling a running play is generally a gift to the defense. The simple threat of a great receiving TE going into a pattern is enough to effectively "block" the guy assigned to him. Now, that being said, blocking TEs are cheaper because they're not as valuable, so maybe you fill out a spot on the end of the roster with one. I would rather have a cheap, developmental receiving TE rather than a cheap, proven blocking TE because that receiving guy could become REALLY valuable in a year or two.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I would imagine because, given two spaces taken up on the roster by tight ends, I would think you would want two tight ends with the most value; i.e., receiving is more valuable in today's NFL so have two receiving TEs. I get the allure of of having the "blocking" TE because that's how it was in the 90's and 00's but today's NFL doesn't need that. Heck, in modern football calling a running play is generally a gift to the defense. The simple threat of a great receiving TE going into a pattern is enough to effectively "block" the guy assigned to him. Now, that being said, blocking TEs are cheaper because they're not as valuable, so maybe you fill out a spot on the end of the roster with one. I would rather have a cheap, developmental receiving TE rather than a cheap, proven blocking TE because that receiving guy could become REALLY valuable in a year or two.

I wouldn't mind having a tight end excelling in blocking third on the depth chart. While it's true those players aren't needed as much anymore there are certain situations in which they still present a valuable asset.

 

[GleefulGary]

I would imagine because, given two spaces taken up on the roster by tight ends, I would think you would want two tight ends with the most value; i.e., receiving is more valuable in today's NFL so have two receiving TEs. I get the allure of of having the "blocking" TE because that's how it was in the 90's and 00's but today's NFL doesn't need that. Heck, in modern football calling a running play is generally a gift to the defense. The simple threat of a great receiving TE going into a pattern is enough to effectively "block" the guy assigned to him. Now, that being said, blocking TEs are cheaper because they're not as valuable, so maybe you fill out a spot on the end of the roster with one. I would rather have a cheap, developmental receiving TE rather than a cheap, proven blocking TE because that receiving guy could become REALLY valuable in a year or two.

Remember how valuable Bennett's blocking was for us this last year? It matters.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Remember how valuable Bennett's blocking was for us this last year? It matters.

I know, once Bennett went down, the Packers offense turned to crap!

 

[gbgary]

You need one of each, preferably.

or two that can do both . the one of each thing makes you a bit predictable.