Packers sign former Lions tight end Michael Roberts, per report

The Green Bay Packers’ tight end situation just became even more confusing.

According to NFL reporter Dov Kleiman, the Green Bay Packers have claimed former Detroit Lions tight end Michael Roberts on waivers.

Roberts had three touchdowns for the Lions last season, and he definitely will have a chance to make the 53-man roster.

The way the offseason has gone, it sure seems like the Packers plan to keep 53 tight ends on their final roster this season. OK, maybe not. But right now it’s difficult to predict how many tight ends they will keep on the final 53.

GM Brian Gutekunst made the decision to keep Jimmy Graham this offseason before re-signing Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan. Green Bay then selected Jace Sternberger in the third round of April’s draft.

But ever since, the Packers have continued to look to add more talent at tight end.

As Field Yates of ESPN reported in May, the Packers placed a waiver claim on tight end Jordan Leggett, but the Buccaneers had the highest claim. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported earlier this month that the Packers had claimed tight end Pharoah McKever off of waivers.

And now they’ve added Roberts to the tight end room.

So the question is, how many tight ends do the Packers plan to keep on the 53-man roster?

It’s clear the Packers felt they needed to add more talent at the position even after the draft, and they’ve put in three waivers claims on tight ends over the past month.

Perhaps they’re just looking to add some training camp competition, but it’s also possible they’re not set on who they plan to keep on the roster. Maybe one of Lewis or Tonyan won’t make the roster. Roberts will have a good opportunity this summer.

Either way, tight end will be a position to watch closely when training camp gets underway in just over five weeks.