Tag: Jace Sternberger

Packers rookie review: TE Jace Sternberger

Reviewing the rookie season of Packers tight end Jace Sternberger, the 75th overall pick in the 2019 draft.

The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.

Next up: tight end Jace Sternberger, the 75th overall pick and the Packers’ third-round draft pick in 2019:

Season stats

Sternberger spent the first two months on injured reserve and didn’t catch a pass over six regular-season games, but the rookie still managed to haul in three passes for 15 yards and a touchdown over two playoff games. His one regular-season target ended in a drop in the end zone in Week 14. He committed an illegal block above the waist penalty in Week 17 but also drew a 15-yard face mask penalty on Jadeveon Clowney in the divisional round.

Snap counts

Sternberger played 60 snaps on offense (6.0 percent) and another 48 on special teams (11.0 percent) during the regular season. He was on the field for 39 offensive snaps and 16 special teams snaps during the playoffs. His 28 offensive snaps played against the Seahawks in the divisional round were a season-high.

Best game

NFC Championship Game against the 49ers. Sternberger played only 11 snaps but caught two passes for 13 yards and his first career touchdown. On the score, Sternberger shook free from 49ers linebacker Fred Warner along the back of the end zone and created a throwing window for Aaron Rodgers as he scrambled to his right. The 8-yard touchdown was the final touchdown of the Packers’ 2019 season.

Worst game

Week 14 against the Redskins. Sternberger learned a lesson when he didn’t sit down and give Rodgers the right throwing lane on a scramble play. Sternberger kept running and Rodgers’ throw ended up behind him in the end zone. The rookie dropped it. Earlier in the game, Sternberger ran a deep wheel route and was wide open, but Rodgers took off and ran for 17 yards.

Season recap, future outlook

It was a quiet regular season for Sternberger, who not only dealt with a pair of summer injuries but also the steep learning curve for a young NFL player at the tight end position. He suffered a concussion and jaw injury after taking a dirty hit during the joint practices against the Houston Texans in early August and then injured his ankle in the preseason and eventually ended up on injured reserve. He returned in November. At least twice, he was open downfield for a big play but wasn’t seen. More impressively, Sternberger gave terrific effort and looked capable as a multi-positional blocker. The Texas A&M product entered the NFL as a passing game threat. Over a limited sample size as a rookie, he showed he can line up at inline tight end, H-back and even fullback and contribute as a blocker. The Packers like his potential as a matchup problem at several positions. Sternberger’s combination of athleticism, receiving potential, toughness and versatility give him a real shot at being a breakout player for the Packers in 2020.

Season grade

Sternberger’s impact in 2019 was minimal, but an injury robbed him of the first half of the year and rookies rarely provide instant impact at this level, so he’ll get a pass here. The most exciting part of his rookie season was the foundation he laid as a versatile player who can mix it up and get the job done as a blocker. Expect Matt LaFleur and the offense to fully integrate his skillset into the scheme in 2020. Grade: C+

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Packers envision TE Jace Sternberger as versatile ‘matchup problem’

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst hopes Jace Sternberger’s finish to 2019 propels him to bigger things in 2020.

Jace Sternberger didn’t have a catch during the regular season, but the Green Bay Packers rookie tight end displayed the kind of toughness in the run game, versatility within the offense and athleticism in the passing game that could make him a breakout candidate in 2020.

GM Brian Gutekunst believes Sternberger, who lined up at inline tight end, fullback and H-back as a rookie, has a chance to be a position-flexible player who can be a “matchup problem” at any spot.

“The flexibility he gives us. Obviously, he has a lot of speed, he can stretch the seam, he’s a matchup problem for linebackers and safeties. Matt put him in the backfield, moved him around a little bit,” Gutekunst said last Friday. “Jace can be one of those guys, as he develops, he can play a lot of different places and be a matchup problem. Excited for him, excited that he gained a little bit of confidence at the end of the season that will hopefully be a push going into next year.”

Sternberger played 39 total snaps and caught three passes for 15 yards and his first NFL touchdown during two postseason games. On his score, Sternberger shook free of 49ers linebacker Fred Warner in the end zone and got open for Aaron Rodgers in the scramble drill during the second half of the NFC Championship Game.

The rookie making plays wasn’t a surprise to Gutekunst. He saw Sternberger creating problems for the Packers defense during practice late in the season.

“At practice, continually he was making plays and becoming a problem for the defense,” Gutekunst said.

Sternberger led all college tight ends with 10 touchdown catches and had the top receiving grade among tight ends at Pro Football Focus last season. His potential in the passing game was obvious, but Sternberger proved capable as a blocker, both as a move tight end and H-back during his rookie season.

“I was proud of him how he developed the last eight or nine weeks of the season when he got in there,” Gutekunst said. “We’re really excited about Jace and what he could do in the future.”

A bigger opportunity could be available in 2020. Jimmy Graham is a cut candidate and Marcedes Lewis is an unrestricted free agent. The Packers will use the offseason to attempt to acquire playmakers on offense, but the development of one already on the roster will be just as important to the passing game taking a step next season.

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Packers rookie TE Jace Sternberger due for big play?

Sternberger has been open for big plays in each of the last two games.

Green Bay Packers rookie tight end Jace Sternberger sure looks due for a big play.

As noted by Ben Fennell of The Athletic, during each of the last two games, Sternberger was running open down the field, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers went elsewhere with the ball.

The rookie tight end could be a weapon the Packers want to unleash as they attempt to win the NFC North and secure a first-round bye over the final two weeks.

Against the Washington Redskins, Sternberger blew past his defender off a run fake and was available on a vertical route for what could have been a 50-yard touchdown. Rodgers hit his primary read, tight end Jimmy Graham, who was also left wide open after both linebackers got fooled by the run fake.

Last week, the Packers got Sternberger matched up one-on-one on another vertical route against the linebacker, and he once again ran right past his defender down the field. Aaron Jones, the first read, was covered, so Rodgers tucked the ball and ran for 17 easy yards.

Here’s the All-22 look of that play from Fennell:

Sternberger has shown a few things in limited snaps since returning from injured reserve: He’s a willing in-line blocker, and he can really run.

The two work hand-in-hand. Teams are respecting the run when the Packers bring more tight ends on the field, but Sternberger is too fast and too athletic for most linebackers and safeties on vertical routes down the field.

Despite appearing in five games, Sternberger is still looking for his first NFL catch.

It could come soon. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if Rodgers and coach Matt LaFleur found a way to get Sternberger running downfield as the primary read during these final two weeks. The rookie tight end has played only seven snaps over the last two weeks, but he looks capable of providing a big impact in a limited role.

Packers notes: Matt LaFleur regrets playcall on final play of first half vs. Panthers

Packers coach Matt LaFleur regrets the play he called at the end of the first half against the Panthers.

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said if given another opportunity, he’d still go for a touchdown in an end-of-the-half scenario, but he’d want to call a different play.

The Packers got stuffed by Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy on the final play of the second quarter when McCoy blew into the backfield and stopped Jamaal Williams for a loss.

The missed opportunity didn’t end up costing the Packers, but LaFleur still regrets calling that play in that situation.

“Just going back to that, I don’t like the playcall,” LaFleur said Monday. “We didn’t practice it for that situation. I put that on my shoulders. I have to do a better job of making sure that we’re well prepared for whatever they may show, and I don’t think I did a good enough job in that regard. Still would go for it again, if that opportunity presented itself.”

The Packers got a penalty to get to the 2-yard line with two seconds left, decided to forego the easy field goal and used a timeout to help provide time to find the right play.

McCoy said after Sunday’s game that he picked up on a few pre-snap keys and knew when to jump the snap. That advantage allowed him to blow past left tackle David Bakhtiari and stuff Williams just as he was getting the football on an inside run.

LaFleur said the Packers had been getting significant push up the middle in the first half, and he was confident the offensive line could open up enough room for Williams to get three feet.

“I thought we could cram it up for a yard and it didn’t work,” LaFleur said Sunday.

Aaron Jones, who scored three touchdowns on Sunday against the Panthers, wasn’t on the field.

Packers want to specialize role for MVS: Second-year receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has just one catch for 4 yards over the last three games, and he was on the field for just 11 snaps during Sunday’s win over the Panthers.

LaFleur said Valdes-Scantling is still recovering from an injury suffered in a win over the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 20. But he also wants to refocus on finding specialized ways of best using his unique skill set.

“Number one, he has battled through a little bit of an injury, which definitely has slowed him down,” LaFleur said. “But we also have to look critically at ourselves and what we’re asking him to do and making sure we’re putting him in position to get some of those balls. He does have a great talent. He’s a guy that, when he rolls off the ball, he is tough to defend because he runs so well. We have to put him in position where he can use that to his advantage. You can’t coach or teach that speed.”

Valdes-Scantling’s one target against the Panthers was a deep shot from Aaron Rodgers on third down. It was thrown into double coverage, and Valdes-Scantling was unable to go up and make a play on the ball in the air.

Although there’s risk of tipping their hand with personnel, it’s possible the Packers will use Allen Lazard, Jake Kumerow and Geronimo Allison as intermediate receivers and Valdes-Scantling as the designated vertical threat over the final six games.

Sternberger earns trust: Rookie tight end Jace Sternberger might have earned himself a bigger role on offense after impressing coaches during a 15-play cameo against the Panthers on Sunday.

The Packers’ third-round pick didn’t have a catch or a target, but he handled his business as a blocker. At least twice, he cut off the backside on a split zone run. He also got to the second level and blocked Shaq Thompson on one explosive run from Jamaal Williams.

“We definitely had the intent to put him in the game. We had a couple of plays that were specifically for him. Some of the cross sifts and inserts. He did a nice job. He earned our trust. I’m excited about him for the future,” LaFleur said.

Sternberger could give LaFleur and the Packers offense an athletic move tight end to use over the final six weeks of the season.

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