With training camp scheduled to open in late July, Packers Wire will be spending the next month attempting to predict how Matt LaFleur, Brian Gutekunst and the Packers will construct their initial 53-man roster entering the 2020 season.
Up next is the tight ends, where the Packers are banking on a few youngsters to stabilize the position:
Players
Marcedes Lewis
Robert Tonyan
Jace Sternberger
Evan Baylis
James Looney
Josiah Deguara (rookie)
Number kept to start 2019
Four. The Packers surprised no one by keeping just four tight ends on last year’s initial roster, although rookie Jace Sternberger was placed on injured reserve in early September.
Roster prediction (4)
1. Marcedes Lewis: The veteran tight end is back for a third season in Green Bay. He got into terrific shape and produced an effective season as a blocking tight end in 2019. The Packers will be expecting more of the same in 2020.
2. Jace Sternberger: Last year’s third-round pick will be the heavy favorite to take over for Jimmy Graham as the team’s go-to tight end in the passing game. He should be an upgrade athletically over Graham. The Packers believe he’s capable of being a matchup problem from several different alignments, and Sternberger’s production at Texas A&M suggests he could be an impact player as a receiver.
3. Robert Tonyan: His 2019 season got sidetracked by a core injury in October. He’s now entering his fourth year in Green Bay, so expectations should rise. A converted receiver, Tonyan could still be valuable as a rotational player in the passing game, especially if Sternberger experiences a rocky transition into a bigger role
4. Josiah Deguara: The Packers’ third-round pick could be a jack-of-all-trades kind of player for Matt LaFleur’s offense. Rookie tight ends rarely make an impact, but expect him to play snaps as an H-back in Year 1. The Packers really like his versatility.
Cut (2)
1. Evan Baylis: The Packers plucked him off the practice squad twice in 2019. He’s a potential backup option should anything happen to Marcedes Lewis.
2. James Looney: The converted defensive lineman will be playing his first full season at tight end. He has intriguing athleticism but will need time to get his new position down, making the practice squad a likely destination.
Updating roster prediction
QB (3): Aaron Rodgers, Tim Boyle, Jordan Love
RB (4): Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, A.J. Dillon, Tyler Ervin
WR (6): Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Devin Funchess, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jake Kumerow, Equanimeous St. Brown
TE (4): Marcedes Lewis, Jace Sternberger, Robert Tonyan, Josiah Deguara
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