As the draft approaches, there is more focus on team needs and what direction general managers will go early in the draft. One of the biggest teams that has been under the microscope is the Green Bay Packers and their needs on both sides of the ball.
Defense is widely viewed as an overall need for Green Bay with mock drafts ranging from safety Calvin Pryor to defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman. It has been the Packers’ Achilles heel for the past three years and while health has been a problem, there isn’t a position on defense that couldn’t use an upgrade. Some view offensive line as a top priority and the team needing to commit to protecting Aaron Rodgers by taking an offensive lineman in the first round.
The most popular position of need you will find on most websites outside of safety for the Packers is tight end. Jermichael Finley finally looked like it all clicked early into the season but that all changed in an instant against the Cleveland Browns. Finley was carted off the field with a neck injury and after undergoing surgery, he is still waiting to be fully cleared by any NFL team’s doctors. That leaves the Packers with just Andrew Quarless, Brandon Bostick and Ryan Taylor on the depth chart.
While Quarless and Bostick may not be very familiar names outside of Wisconsin, the Packers’ coaching staff has plenty of confidence in them going forward. When Finley went down six games into the season, Quarless stepped up into the starting role and impressed in the second half of the season.
He was a reliable option for Matt Flynn in two key wins against the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. In each game, Quarless posted six receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. He showed enough to earn a two-year contract from the Packers in the offseason, despite drawing interest from other teams.
Bostick is the name fans should be keeping an eye on heading into the 2014 season as someone who could be headed for a breakout season. Bostick is similar to Finley in terms of athleticism and size, though he is two inches shorter than Finley. Bostick has always impressed with his receiving ability but recently drew the praise of head coach Mike McCarthy for his improved blocking ability, being called the best blocking tight end. He still has a lot of room to grow at the age of 24, but could play a major role next season for the Packers.
Green Bay has internal options at tight end, but still have to look towards the draft for more competition at the position and potentially someone who can take over the position. There has been talk about the Packers taking a tight end in the first round, either Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro or even Washington’s Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Amaro has impressive size but played in a spread offense where he was able to beat smaller, slower linebackers without having to run a number of routes. He doesn’t have much experience in-line or lining up outside like a wide receiver, limiting him to the slot position at the next level. So while he would provide another great weapon to spread the ball around and make Rodgers happy, he isn’t the type of player you take at 21.
Seferian-Jenkins is a surprising name in the first round coming off surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. The injury kept Seferian-Jenkins out of the combine and Washington’s Pro Day, limiting the opportunities to show scouts he is healthy. Even when he was healthy, Seferian-Jenkins doesn’t stand out on film. Despite his great size at 6’6” and 258 pounds he doesn’t impress with his strength and doesn’t have elite athleticism. He improved as a blocker but will never be more than an average receiving threat. Taking Seferian-Jenkins in the first two rounds would be considered a reach, and you can find some quality options later on.
If safeties and defensive tackles come off the board quickly, there is one tight end who the Packers would have to consider at 21. North Carolina’s Eric Ebron is the cream of the crop in this class and would be an excellent fit for the Packers’ defense. Ebron is a freak whose size and speed will create mismatches versus NFL linebackers and safeties. When the football is anywhere near his body, he has the ability to make acrobatic catches at any angle. Unlike Amaro, Ebron also shows more physicality as a blocker and has room to grow in that area as well. Ebron is incredibly similar to Vernon Davis and Ted Thompson would have a hard time passing that up.
While Ebron would be a steal at 21, it’s very unlikely he falls that far with teams like the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins all in need of a great tight end. So the Packers will very likely wait until at least the second round. If Amaro falls, then Green Bay would be in position where the tremendous value matches up perfectly with an opening on the depth chart. Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas could also be an intriguing option but he still needs to develop before he can be a playoff team’s starter.
Tight end is certainly a need for the Packers, but it’s also not as big of an issue as some believe. Green Bay still has Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Jarrett Boykin as their top wide receivers and would have no problem splitting targets between Quarless, Bostick and a rookie like C.J. Fiedorowicz. Focusing on the defense with their first three selections then taking Fiedorowicz with their compensation pick would be perfect for Ted Thompson. Fiedorowicz is similar to Seferian-Jenkins, but offers better blocking ability. The Packers won’t reach for a tight end, they can just sit back until the value is right.