It’s not easy trying to predict what Brian Gutekunst is going to do in the NFL draft, but the Green Bay Packers selecting two tight ends this year feels almost like a given–and a necessity.
At the tight end position, the Packers are lacking both depth and playmaking. As of now, there are only four players on the roster, with Josiah Deguara being the only one with any real experience on offense, although even he has only 681 career snaps and is more of an H-back than a tight end. Tyler Davis, meanwhile, was a primary special teams player, while Nick Guggemos and Austin Allen were practice squad players in 2022.
Looking back at last season, a majority of the playoff teams, especially those who made it to the championship round, had an impact player in the passing game at tight end. The Packers, however, were missing that element. Of the four tight ends on the roster in 2022, Robert Tonyan was the only legitimate pass-catching threat, and while reliable, he averaged just 8.9 yards per catch, which ranked 34th out of 43 eligible tight ends, according to PFF, and he had minimal impact in the red zone.
The good news for Green Bay is that this draft class is loaded at the position. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has a whopping 11 tight ends with third-round grades or better. Lance Zierlein recently put together his positional rankings for this year’s draft class, and tight end ranked as the second best, behind cornerback.
In general, the Packers need more consistent playmaking in the passing game, but a dynamic presence at tight end specifically will create mismatches not only for himself but others within the offense. A player of this caliber will also generate big-play opportunities over the middle of the field and be a threat inside the 20-yard line. Having those elements within the Packers’ offense would tremendously help first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love.
Something else that should be on Green Bay’s radar when it comes to tight end plays is adding a well-rounded prospect at the position, who can affect both the running and passing games. If we look at last year’s tight end room, there was a bit of predictability to it, with Tonyan primarily being a pass catcher while Deguara and Marcedes Lewis were used mostly as blockers. But if Green Bay can add someone who is capable in both areas, it helps facilitate the illusion of complexity, as Matt LaFleur calls it, which in short, keeps defenses guessing and off balance.
Below are the top 10 tight ends in this draft class from PFF:
Dalton Kincaid, Utah
Michael Mayer, Norte dame
Sam LaPort, Iowa
Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Darnell Washington, Georgia
Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan
Davis Allen Clemson
Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
Gutekunst double-dipping or even triple-dipping at a position of need within the same draft class is not abnormal for him. In fact, it should be expected at this point. In 2018, he took two cornerbacks and three receivers. In this most recent draft, Gutekunst selected three receivers, and he’s also selected three offensive linemen for three consecutive years.
Add it all up, the need at tight end, the depth of this draft class, along with Gutekunst’s history of loading up at positions of need, and the Packers using at least two of their 10 draft picks on a tight end feels like a near certainty.
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