The Green Bay Packers didn’t get to see much out of rookie tight end Josiah Deguara after he tore ACL early last season. However, his absence in Year 1 doesn’t mean they aren’t excited about what he can potentially bring to the offense in Year 2.
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said Deguara’s positional versatility makes him uniquely valuable.
“Being flexible in all the different things he can do,” Hackett said. “Any time you can have a guy you can split out and run a route, a guy that you can have inline and block like a tight end, and also put in the backfield and be a fullback. All those things are difficult for a defense to have to gameplan against because you can put him out on the field and you can line up in so many different versions of formations and personnel looks and so forth. It’s exciting, the different multiplicity we can do when he’s out there.”
Deguara appears to be making good progress in his rehabilitation after he was seen working off to the side during last week’s OTAs. Packers tight end coach Justin Outten said Deguara is a “universal” player and an ideal fit in the scheme.
“Getting Josiah on board with us, it just adds another dimension and brings the offense alive,” Outten said. “Going back to the Atlanta days with Matt and just being able to use the fullback role and put him in different spots, you see the success Juice (Kyle Juszczyk) has in San Francisco. He has a really good feel for the offense right now. Coming in as a rookie last year, he just took off and ran with it. As he progresses, I just feel like he’s going to open up some more things for us, just being as universal as he is.”
Deguara played just two games in 2020, totaling 31 offensive snaps. He was targeted twice and made one catch for 12 yards. Deguara’s rookie stats were in no way, shape, or form glamorous, but he still looked like a player who belonged.
There aren’t many players like Deguara in the NFL. He is almost between positions as a hybrid tight end/H-back. Despite playing just a couple of games last season, the Packers showcased Deguara’s wide-ranging skillset, lining him up in the backfield, in the slot, and as an inline tight end. It was pretty impressive to see from a prospect who wasn’t talked about much leading up to the draft.
Deguara spent five years at the University of Cincinnati, but he was never a dominant player. Instead, coaches raved about his work ethic and competitive toughness, naming him team captain as a senior. His 92 career receptions are the most in school history for a tight end. Deguara was also the second tight end in school history to have 500 or more yards receiving in a season, joining Travis Kelce, who tallied 722 yards in 2012.
Deguara is certainly in good company when it comes to a player like Kelce, but Deguara is not your typical tight end. A lot of people were scratching their heads when the Packers used a top-100 pick on a supposed tight end listed at only 6-2, 240 pounds. Deguara is not the imposing physical of other tight ends around the league, but creative coaches like Matt LaFleur and Kyle Shanahan have shown you can successfully implement players with a broad skill set.
Once Deguara got on the field, size was hardly an issue. He ran well, played with adequate play strength, and engaged well with linebackers and safeties on run blocks.
One of the few players comparable to Deguara is Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers. Juszczyk is a new hybrid version of the throwback fullback that was prominent during the early 2000s. Despite never eclipsing more than 350 receiving yards or 100 rushing yards, Juszczyk is a five-time Pro Bowler and just signed a five-year contract extension worth $27 million. Not bad for a guy whose position was presumedly fizzling out of the league.
As stated by Outten, Juszczyk is precisely what the Packers had in mind when they selected Deguara. It is no secret that LaFleur was a former apprentice of Shanahan and is trying to implement some of the same offensive philosophies in Green Bay.
That includes having a hybrid tight end/fullback like Juszczyk. We caught a glimpse of how LaFleur wants to utilize Deguara, who provides value as a blocker and receiver. However, it’s still too early to tell what kind of impact Deguara can have.
“Excellent pro as far as being in the meeting room and having the right questions,” Outten said. “Really good attitude throughout this whole process. He’s a joy to be around. His career, it’s going to be a long one for him in this league. We’re excited to have him and what he brings to the offense.”
If he can stay healthy, it will be interesting to see what Green Bay has planned for Deguara in the offense moving forward.
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