The depth at tight end and the overall versatility of the position have quarterback Aaron Rodgers believing that the Green Bay Packers will play more “12” personnel in 2020.
This increasingly popular personnel group is defined by one running back and two tight ends.
Rodgers believes the team’s emerging talent at tight end will likely push the Packers towards personnel packages that feature at least two on the field together.
“We will be looking at the next couple of weeks what packages seem to fit our personnel, but I would expect a good amount of ’12,’ just based on the talent that we have at that position,” Rodgers said after Monday’s practice.
Last season, the Packers played roughly 20 percent of the offense’s total snaps with “12” personnel on the field. That number could be on the rise as Matt LaFleur attempts to get more out of his tight end group in 2020.
The Packers released veteran Jimmy Graham before free agency, but the position actually has a decent chance of improving this season. Graham is an aging player with a limited overall skill set, but Marcedes Lewis is back, providing a stable veteran who was dominant at times as a run blocker in 2019, and the three youngsters – Robert Tonyan, Jace Sternberger and rookie Josiah Deguara – all have a chance to grow and play important roles, both as receivers and blockers.
“Robert Tonyan coming back from his injury, I think it’s been really good. Jace going into Year 2. And obviously we added (Josiah) to the mix as a versatile guy that could do a number of things for us,” Rodgers said.
Coach Matt LaFleur often talks about the “illusion of complexity,” an idea rooted in looking complex to a defense while doing otherwise simple things offensively. The tight end plays a huge role in creating the illusion, given the two-way nature of the position. Big, athletic players who can contribute in the run game and pose a threat in the passing game often stress defenses, allowing the offense to manipulate the action before the snap and create plus matchups after the snap.
Oftentimes, defenses respond to “12” personnel with heavy looks, using base packages while expecting the run. This manipulation provides opportunities for big plays in the passing game. It’s just one way teams are responding to defenses using nickel – with five defensive backs on the field – as a base look. The idea is simple: Attempt to force the defense to sub out a defensive back for a linebacker, and then attack down the field against a slower grouping.
And if the defense stay in nickel, run the ball with the obvious advantage.
The Packers’ depth at tight end suggests the offense could be dangerous if the scheme can get the most out of “12” personnel calls.
The Packers are expecting Tonyan and Sternberger to both be contributing players in the passing game. In fact, both could be preferred targets underneath and in the middle of the field, especially out of “12” personnel. Deguara, a third-round pick, could play an H-back-like role, contributing both from the backfield and as a move tight end.
The Packers didn’t draft a receiver – Rodgers pointed to this reality as a vote of confidence in the returning receivers, including Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling – but it’s also a potential clue for how LaFleur wants his offense to operate in 2020. More tight ends, more illusions, more production?
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