The Green Bay Packers will probably have a very new look to their roster by the time the 2023 season begins. They might have a new quarterback. They could part ways with one of their running backs or offensive linemen to save cap space. Some of their wide receivers will probably be moving on. But the tight end group might shift the most.
Robert Tonyan Jr. is a free agent. So is Marcedes Lewis. Josiah Deguara will be on the last year of his rookie deal in 2023. Tyler Davis is a restricted free agent. The Packers signed Nick Guggemos to a reserve/future contract last month, making him the only other tight end on the roster.
Tight End Scenarios
With little to no cap room to sign a free agent, the draft is probably the most likely scenario for the Green and Gold to address their needs at tight end. A trade is still possible, of course. Would Darren Waller be the perfect tight end if someone — say, Aaron Rodgers — was traded to the Raiders? Of course. But I won’t be holding my breath.
The Packers have multiple great options in the first two rounds of the draft this year. And while conventional wisdom dictates they probably shouldn’t use those on a tight end, it could also take their new offense to the next level. Here are a few tight end options available in this year’s draft.
Michael Mayer – Notre Dame
The junior from Kentucky is expected to be the first tight end drafted and could go in the top half of the first round. In 2022, he became Notre Dame’s all-time reception leader with 180 catches. The previous record was 140 from Tyler Eifert. During his junior season, Mayer had 67 receptions, 809 yards, and nine touchdowns.
Will the Packers draft Mayer at No. 15 if he’s available? Probably not with so many positions of need. But if they get another first-rounder through a trade, you never know. He’s also one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft, which would help either an older veteran quarterback or a younger quarterback during his first year starting. He’s being compared to Jason Witten, and every team should want a player like that.
Luke Musgrave – Oregon State
Musgrave is also a junior and could go in the draft’s first round. Everything looks great on tape and what he brings to the table. The only issue is there isn’t much to go off of yet. COVID cut his freshman year short. They had 22 receptions in 2021 for 304 yards and one touchdown.
His junior year appeared to be his breakout year, but he sadly only played two games due to a leg injury. He had 11 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown, though. A first round would definitely be risky, but a good combine and workouts could lead to an early second-round pick for Musgrave. It depends on how many picks Green Bay would have, but a gamble on Musgrave could pay off.
Dalton Kincaid – Utah
The senior from Nevada just screams Green Bay Packer to me. This past season earned him a first-team All-Pac-12 award. During his five years with the team, he’s recorded at least eight touchdowns a season, not counting 2020. In 2022, he had 70 receptions for 890 yards and eight touchdowns. His freshman year in 2018 led to 11 touchdowns. He’s basically like having another wide receiver on the field.
His only downside might be that he isn’t the best blocker right now. But that’s something that he can develop. A guy who only had two career drops in college is someone you want on your roster. You should take natural talent over college blocking skills every time. (Having an awesome name doesn’t hurt, either.)
Darnell Washington – Georgia
Here’s the reason you draft Darnell Washington: The dude is 6’7” and 270 lbs. Instead of beating Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Title, he is entering the NFL draft. Your team is basically adding a sixth offensive lineman who can also catch the ball.
The Packers already have a history of drafting from Georgia. Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker both showed great progress in their rookie seasons. We can discuss Walker and his pair of unsportsmanlike-penalty ejections all day, but he had a very good rookie year overall. Washington could be another great piece from Georgia. In 2022, he had 28 receptions, 454 yards, and two touchdowns.
He’s already been on the big stage. He has an Orange Bowl, two Peach Bowls, and two National Championship appearances under his belt. He was also on second-team All-SEC in 2022. Washington could be the real deal and a great Lewis replacement for blocking and red-zone targets.
Sam Laporta – Iowa
The Iowa senior could be a sneaky pick for the Packers. He doesn’t jump off the page with his stats, but he could be a very reliable tight end. Some Big 10 ties don’t hurt, either. Last season, he had 58 receptions for 657 yards and a touchdown.
Laporta is maybe the most consistent tight end on the board. He averaged three to five catches a game and at least 50 yards. One awesome stat is that he also caught 10 screen passes last year. I doubt you will find another tight end available who did that. Experts believe he will be a huge yards-after-catch guy. The blocking skills can come later. But say the Packers focus on an edge rusher, defensive end, or wide receiver. LaPorta would be the perfect pick if he drops later in the third round.
That’s a lot of good options, and we haven’t even scratched the surface of available players.
