Green Bay Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a banner season in 2020. His 4,299 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes helped him win his third NFL MVP. One of the major reasons he had so much success was the re-emergence of the Packers tight ends in the passing game. Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur hope that the Green Bay Packers tight ends will continue that success in 2021.
Green Bay Packers Tight Ends Preview Heading Into the 2021 Season
Green Bay Packers Tight Ends Re-Emerge in the Passing Game
Before last season, the Packers tight ends group had been missing a player that could stretch the middle of the field. The last Packers tight end that could do that was Jared Cook back in 2016. Cook emerged late that season to become that type of target for Rodgers. Unfortunately for the Packers, former general manager Ted Thompson and current director of football operations Russ Ball reportedly lowballed Cook the following off-season when Cook was a free agent. Cook turned down the offer and headed to Oakland (now the Las Vegas Raiders). Since departing, he has averaged 50 receptions, 699 yards, and six receiving touchdowns. Thompson and Ball signed Martellus Bennett that off-season to replace Cook. The signing turned out to be a disaster. Bennett never produced on the field and quit on the Packers during the middle of the season.
It appears that the Packers have finally found a legitimate pass-catching tight end. One that gives Rodgers another weapon behind standout wide receiver Davante Adams. Also filling out the Packers tight ends depth chart is a veteran player who excels in blocking. Joining them are two versatile tight ends who can line up all over the field and contribute on special teams.
Robert Tonyan
Robert Tonyan, or as his quarterback calls him “Bobby,” had a breakout season in 2020. The former undrafted free agent became one of Rodgers’ favorite targets. Last season Tonyan hauled in 52 passes for 586 yards with an eye-popping 11 receiving touchdowns, all career highs. Before last season, he had only caught 14 passes for 177 yards with just two receiving touchdowns.
The story of Tonyan is one of hard work and not giving up. Tonyan was a high school quarterback, a position he started out at when he attended Indiana State. But while at Indiana State, he was shifted to wide receiver. Tonyan posted a total of 150 receptions for 2,047 yards and 20 total touchdown receptions. Still, that production wasn’t enough to get him drafted. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions but was released by them prior to the 2017 season. Thompson signed Tonyan to the Packers practice squad late that season. Since then, Tonyan has worked his way up the ladder and is now Rodgers’ top pass-catching threat from the Packers tight ends group.
Tonyan is still developing as a blocker and he has only hit the tip of his receiving potential. With Rodgers returning to the Packers, big things should be expected out of Tonyan in 2021.
The Veteran of the Packers Tight Ends
When talking about Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis the first word to come to mind is “professional.” The former first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2006 has had a very solid career. After 15 seasons, no one would have blamed Lewis if he decided to hang up his cleats.
But Lewis has chosen to return for his 16th season, his fourth as a Packer, and the Packers are better off because of that. Lewis isn’t as much of a receiving weapon as he once was (last season he caught 10 passes for 107 yards with three receiving touchdowns), but he still brings two very important things to the Packers tight ends group.
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Even at 37 years old, Lewis is still one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. His ability to pass block and especially run block at tight end is a very important piece to the Packers offense. His blocking prowess helped the Packers both in the pass and run game in 2020. The other asset that Lewis brings to the Packers tight ends room is his leadership. Tonyan has talked about how important Lewis’ leadership is to not just him but all of the young tight ends. That leadership trait has also made Lewis a favorite of Aaron Rodgers. While stacking your roster with young players is great, there is something to be said about having a veteran like Lewis on your roster.
H-Backs/Tight End Prospects
Since arriving, LaFleur has moved away from the traditional fullback position and instead gone with an h-back/tight end model. To play the position, one must be able to do several things well and do them lined up in various areas.
One player who was the starting h-back, for a very short amount of time, in 2020 was Josiah Deguara. Deguara was a surprise third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Most draft experts had him slotted in the sixth, seventh, or possibly as an undrafted free agent, but general manager Brian Gutekunst selected him in the third round. He played in two games, starting one of them, before being lost to a season-ending knee injury. Some Packers podcasters have overblown his contribution in 2020. He played well, but nothing that was earth-shattering. It appears he has fully recovered from his knee injury and will be 100% when the season starts. With how high he was drafted and the fact he is a favorite of LaFleur’s, he will be given every chance to be the starter in 2021.
Another candidate to fill the h-back position is Dominique Dafney, who finished the 2020 season as the Packers starting h-back. A quality mid-season pick-up by Gutekunst, Dafney doesn’t carry the same high draft status as Deguara. However, he is a grinder that showed he is willing to play wherever he is asked to. He caught just two passes for 26 yards and one touchdown in 2020. But he was also a major contributor on the Packers special teams. The Packers should find a spot for Dafney on their 2021 roster.
Jace Sternberger Must Show Improvement
Jace Sternberger‘s career has not gone the way that he and Gutekunst have hoped. Selected by Gutekunst in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft, Sternberger has yet to be a contributor to the Packers offense. In his three seasons, he has battled injuries, issues with drops, and now he will have to serve a two-game suspension to start the 2021 season.
The idea behind selecting Sternberger in 2019 was that it would give the Packers a young pass-catching tight end who could develop into a weapon for Rodgers. But while the Packers have developed a young pass-catching tight end, it has been Tonyan, not Sternberger who has become a weapon in the Packers offense.
The clock is ticking on Sternberger and if he doesn’t have a strong camp, the Packers might be forced to move on from the former third-round pick.
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Project Packers Tight End Depth Chart To Start 2021
Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josia Deguara, and Dominique Dafney.
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