It’s been an offseason for the books so far in Green Bay.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers appears to be on his way out while the wide receiver Allen Lazard has already packed up and signed with the New York Jets. Tight end Robert Tonyan had many in Titletown nauseous when he inked a deal with the Chicago Bears.
The offense will certainly look different in 2023 for the Packers. One way they can fill a void is by drafting Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, who’d be a perfect fit in Matt LaFleur’s offense.
On the surface, this tight end class appears to be strong for the 2023 draft. Mayer is in the group creating that widespread belief. He has tremendous hands, a great feel for the game as it’s in motion and most of all, is an incredible run blocker. Scouts have salivated over Mayer’s ability to pave holes in the ground game, and it’s almost a necessity in LaFleur’s offense.
Tight end Marcedes Lewis has been on the field for Green Bay the last five seasons basically as an extra offensive lineman. During that time, Lewis has only 47 receptions. What kept the Packers bringing him back outside of his voice and leadership? Lewis is an excellent run-blocking tight end.
Now, Tonyan is gone and Lewis is a free agent, unlikely to return to Green Bay.
Enter Mayer.
Mayer isn’t going to blow anyone away with his athleticism or his speed, but he projects as a very safe draft pick. Or, one who most feel good about having a long career in the NFL because of what he does well.
You don’t have to take our word for it though.
“Big combination tight end with the demeanor for run blocking and the size for tough, chain-moving catches underneath. Mayer will come into the league with better blocking technique than most tight ends in this year’s draft. He’s built for in-line duty and was an extension of the Notre Dame offensive line at times.” – Lance Zierlein NFL.com
“There’s been plenty of examples of tight ends entering the NFL who struggle with the rigors of playing in-line, but I suspect Mayer is better positioned than most to avoid these hardships. There’s a comfort level playing in tight and Mayer showcases a good sense of awareness to get clean releases into the second level when he’s capped at the line and keep the timing of his routes on schedule. As a blocker, Mayer has good functional strength, effective hand punch, and does well to sustain his base—he appears more pro-ready in this regard than most college tight end prospects.” – Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network
Need we say more?
The evaluations go on and on, and while there are no guarantees when it comes to the draft, Mayer seems like a safe bet to be productive.
Getting the right fit can go a long way and Green Bay would be a great destination for the former Fighting Irish tight end.
The Packers need to surround quarterback Jordan Love with more talent than what they have now, especially in terms of depth. That goes for both the wide receiver and tight end positions, which currently have some shiny toys in them like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs but not enough in the quantity department for a first-year starter.
Then there’s the focus on the running game.
Scouts seem to agree Mayer is an excellent run blocker and that his skills will translate fairly seamlessly to the NFL. That’s music to the ears of running backs A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones if Mayer were indeed to land in Green Bay.
If the Packers do what the Packers normally do, everyone will zig and predict a wide receiver on Day 1 while general manager Brian Gutekunst zags and takes a cornerback or an edge rusher. If there were a year for analysts and fans to zig and Gutekunst to go along with it and zig as well, it’d be this year with the massive transition that’s taking place at quarterback.
Mayer would be the best of both worlds for the Packers. He can be effective in the ground game as a de facto additional offensive lineman, if you want to label him as such. He also has those superb mitts and will be a more than reliable target in the passing game. Don’t expect him to blow by a safety or rip off a ton of big gains like a George Kittle. Just understand that Mayer does a lot of things well and his versatility alone is something that sounds alarms in Green Bay and gets them running to watch the tape.
Mayer would be a great fit in Green Bay for LaFleur’s offense, for Love’s growth in having a safety valve in Year 1 and for Jones and Dillon in the ground game.
