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Green Bay Packers tight end Josiah Deguara has hit the ground running in his return from a torn ACL.
Coach Matt LaFleur said his second-year tight end – who is now a few practices in after starting training camp on the PUP list – looks like the same versatile and intelligent player.
“Deguara looks fantastic,” LaFleur said Thursday. “Looks like he picked up right where he left off last season. It’s really good to see him out there.”
Deguara, who tore his ACL in Week 5 of last year, isn’t sure if he’ll be cleared to play Saturday in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans, but there should be no issues in terms of participating to start the season.
The Packers activated Deguara from the PUP list on Aug. 4. He sat out the team’s Family Night practice but is finally getting back into practicing during team periods.
He said “getting back into the flow” of just playing the game and “hitting somebody” were early obstacles during his return, but now he’s ready to go.
Don’t be surprised if Deguara, a natural H-back candidate, plays a meaningful role for the Packers in 2021. The team thinks he can be an asset inline at tight end, in the slot and in the backfield, providing positional versatility and pre-snap deception.
“He’s such a savvy, smart football player. There are so many things he does that are tough to coach,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur mentioned a recent run play where Deguara was lined up in the backfield and he made an adjustment after the snap to get through the clutter and wall off the outside linebacker, completing his assignment despite an unexpected obstacle.
The Packers made Deguara a third-round pick in the 2020 draft. He played 24 snaps on offense during his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, highlighting how important he could be for LaFleur and the Packers this season.
Deguara caught one pass as a rookie. He left the University of Cincinnati as the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end.
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