Tight end is one of the more historically underrated positions in football. It is basically an extra lineman who can surprise defenses with athletic route running and soft hands.
Since tight ends are better appreciated these days, being more involved as weapons in offenses and giving them an official holiday, it is important to have a tight end room that can execute both as receivers and linemen.
Green Bay’s current group is as young as the rest of the team. After losing Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis, it is time for Josiah Deguara, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft to take larger roles within the offense.
Since Musgrave and Kraft are rookies, Josiah Deguara, the third-year man out of the University of Cincinnati, will likely be Love’s top tight-end target. Remember, Love and Deguara got reps together during a Week 18 game against the Detroit Lions in 2021. Deguara has shown that he can make plays in the open field after the catch.
Deguara reminds me of Packers legend Jermichael Finley. He did not have the best hands, but when he got the ball he was a bulldozer. Finley could catch a screen, then spin by defenders and bounce off of them to get yards.
That sort of strength is perfect for a tight end because they also need to use it in the blocking game for running plays and screens. It’s why Marcedes Lewis was a crucial part of the offense. The Packers did not throw the ball to him a lot, but he was a tremendous blocker.
Musgrave will likely be the other tight end across from Deguara. A rookie out of Oregon State, Musgrave’s biggest strength is his speed and agility. During the Senior Bowl, he reached a maximum speed greater than 20 mph. In the clip below, he outruns a safety to make a play on the ball in the end zone.
Musgrave reminds me of Jared Cook, the speedy tight end who played for the Packers in 2016. Cook was exceptional that year. He had great hands, was a smart player, ran solid routes, and was speedy. He wasn’t faster than every other tight end, but it was something that helped him get past the initial coverage. Cook used this speed to run across the entire field on a post route that helped the Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 playoffs.
After selecting Musgrave, the Packers took Tucker Kraft out of South Dakota State in the third round. My belief here is that they took him for depth since they lost two tight ends in the offseason. I wouldn’t expect Kraft to get many snaps in his rookie year unless he has to fill in for injured players.
Still, it is never a bad thing to have young talent with upside. Kraft proved himself in college, winning back-to-back FCS championships in with the Jackrabbits. He was also a regular target for them, consistently playing against some great defenses, especially NDSU.
Kraft reminds me of Richard Rodgers, who played in Green Bay from 2014 to 2017. Rodgers was not known for his speed, athleticism, or strength. Instead, he had insane hands. He could reel in any ball thrown his way. Just ask the 2015 Detroit Lions. Kraft has this ability to just go up and Moss defenders on a 50/50 throw.
It is easy to look at this young group and dismiss them because they were not first-round picks, but tight end is not a flashy position. Green Bay’s young tight ends may have latent potential. They probably won’t light up the stat sheet, but Matt LaFleur can still use them in three-tight-end formations to confuse the defenses on run and pass plays. LaFleur can also motion them around before the snap. If he really needed to, he could put Josiah Deguara in the slot and have Kraft on the line with Musgrave. If they can run-block well, who knows how much more they can do once the offense really opens up?
