Tight Ends Situation

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I believe LaFleur will test Graham a bit more early on. His experience level being in new systems gives him a clear advantage over Tonyan and Sternberger. Aaron and Jimmy have some history before playing together, they obviously respect one another and there’s already a trust factor. That trust will make Graham his go to guy.

Marcedes will have a more focused role in the blocking arena, but don’t be surprised if Marcedes doesn’t get more looks in the passing game at least initially. Lewis provides a good balance of veteran leadership and still has to be accounted for as a reliable target.

I see Tonyan and Sternberger battling it out in Preseason. One of them will rise and I think Tonyan has the edge as TE pass target #2 this year. They’ll be patient with Jace as the true Rook, unless he just tears it up in preseason well past expectations.
 
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I hope you're grossly mistaken as Graham & Lewis are on fumes at best. LaFleur needs to see what is waiting in the wings because IF the young guys aren't given a shot the TE position is worse than Safety was in '18.

I'm quite sure that Graham will be the #1 target among the tight ends this season. Lewis will mostly be a non factor as a receiver. The Packers would definitely benefit by either Sternberger or Tonyan emerging as a threat in the passing game but I don't count on it happening.

Tight end is a strange position except for one thing; rookies don't have much of an impact. That being said, I would be shocked if Sternberger does much but I would not be surprised at all if Tonyan turned in a great year. A WR turned TE having a great year after getting used to the NFL for a season? Extremely possible, but almost impossible to predict.

There's a reason Tonyan didn't play in the FBS, went undrafted in 2017 and released by the Lions before the start of that season.

That doesn't mean he can't be successful but in my opinion a lot of fans are too optimistic about him.
 

Dantés

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When do we solve this conundrum. We even had Vitale catching!

When we either start using Tonyan more prominently or acquire some other talent at the position.

This offense is predicated on running and passing out of the same personnel. You make everything look the same so as to increase the unpredictability of the offense and the effective of play action.

Thus, this offense needs a tight end who can be of service in both the running and passing game. Graham isn't really capable in either phase right now and Lewis is only a receiving factor if he's forgotten and leaks out.

Gutekunst did a lot right this offseason, but the way he handled the TE position is one of his bigger missteps... one that many people saw from a mile away.

I honestly think they'd be best off to play Tonyan as the primary TE and let him grow on the fly.
 

swhitset

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When we either start using Tonyan more prominently or acquire some other talent at the position.

This offense is predicated on running and passing out of the same personnel. You make everything look the same so as to increase the unpredictability of the offense and the effective of play action.

Thus, this offense needs a tight end who can be of service in both the running and passing game. Graham isn't really capable in either phase right now and Lewis is only a receiving factor if he's forgotten and leaks out.

Gutekunst did a lot right this offseason, but the way he handled the TE position is one of his bigger missteps... one that many people saw from a mile away.

I honestly think they'd be best off to play Tonyan as the primary TE and let him grow on the fly.
Sternberger going in IR didn’t help either.
 

Dantés

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If they wan
Sternberger going in IR didn’t help either.

I don't think it would have made a difference. TE is a notoriously difficult position for rookies, and Stern was not a good blocker at TAMU.
 

swhitset

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If they wan


I don't think it would have made a difference. TE is a notoriously difficult position for rookies, and Stern was not a good blocker at TAMU.
That’s certainly possible... but either way being on IR certainly isn’t helping him adjust to the NFL any faster.
 
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That’s certainly possible... but either way being on IR certainly isn’t helping him adjust to the NFL any faster.
Ideally we need to give Tonyan plays to adjust more than Jace. With more experience he could have had a nice TD catch last game.
 

swhitset

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Ideally we need to give Tonyan plays to adjust more than Jace. With more experience he could have had a nice TD catch last game.
Well since nice Tonyan is on the active roster and Sternberger is on IR... there isn’t much to argue about there lol.
 

greengold

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I believe they like Bayliss too.

Dantés explained it perfectly. Keep going to the well, but the Packers can pull any number of different options out of it. That’s the beauty of LaFleur’s system, and we’re just getting started.

I do believe Sterberger stands a good chance of returning to this 53 man roster this season.
 

Pkrjones

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Ideally we need to give Tonyan plays to adjust more than Jace. With more experience he could have had a nice TD catch last game.
How would experience have aided Tonyan in catching that TD pass? He had his man beat by 2 steps, AR overthrew him. Maybe if Tonyan is getting the practice reps of a #1 then Rodgers would, possibly, be more in-tune with his speed? I agree 1000% (10x more positive than positive ;) ).
 

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That pass just missed, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. I do want to see Tonyan on the field more. I see his number out there more, but admittedly I don't see what he's doing on those plays most times. But then I don't notice our TE's hardly at all unless one of them is missing a block in the run game. But it does seem Tonyan does get open and physically he seems to move really well for a bigger guy out there.
 

PackerDNA

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Tonyan slowed down on the route in question. Had he kept running it was a touchdown.
 

Mondio

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Tonyan slowed down on the route in question. Had he kept running it was a touchdown.
I didn't notice that, but if he wants more playing time and passes, he better not slow down on routes anymore :) chalk it up to learning and be sure you've learned the lesson
 
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I used to think that too until I learned "FatMan" was off target by 1.5 miles yet Nagasaki was effectively destroyed.

Yeah. That was a weird analogy. "The hand grenade missed me but landed close by. Hallelujah" would make for some stupid last words! :D
 

DarkHelmet

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I believe they like Bayliss too.
. . .
I do believe Sterberger stands a good chance of returning to this 53 man roster this season.

Bayliss looked good to me in pre-season. Maybe better than Sternberger. Would like to see him get a chance to play.
 

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Mondio

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Video doesn't show that Rodgers started scrambling. It was an extended play and scramble drill time. I'm assuming he was where he was supposed to be when he slowed down.
a likely scenario as well.
 

Pkrjones

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Reviving the Tight Ends thread as it's a position of 2022 uncertainty, still. Just saw that Kahale Warring was released by NO and would LOVE for Gute to use roster spot #90 by claiming him and getting him into camp. He's bounced from Houston, Buffalo, Jax and NO but unless has serious attitude or behavioral issues might be worth a look. 9.35 RAS score at combine, 6'-5", 252lbs, ran 4.67 40, and came from a run-heavy offense at SD State where he was used primarily as a blocker. Couldn't hurt to take a look?


We have Lewis as blocking TE; Tonyan on the mend from ACL, Tyler Davis & Alize Mack as "move TE's"; Deguara, Dafney, & Wolf as "H-Back" guys. Warring could be a combination move/Blocking TE.
 
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El Guapo

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What we don't have is a pass-catching TE. Tonyan might be that guy when healthy, but the jury is still out.

I'm all for our GM kicking every tire that rolls along, because it just might fit our monster truck.
 
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