Packers release Michael Roberts, but TE questions remain

The Green Bay Packers have waived tight end Michael Roberts.

Just a couple of days after the Green Bay Packers claimed tight end Michael Roberts on waivers, Field Yates of ESPN has reported that he has been released due to a failed physical.

With Roberts no longer on the roster, questions still remain for the Packers at tight end. Even after re-signing Marcedes Lewis and drafting Jace Sternberger in the third round of the draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst has made more moves at the position this summer.

It’s felt like the Packers have made waiver claims for just about every tight end who becomes available, and they successfully claimed Roberts and Pharoah McKever after missing out on Jordan Leggett, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What does this mean? One possibility is that it’s a coincidence, and Gutekunst is simply looking to add talent at any position if he feels it adds competition or improves the roster. It could just be a coincidence that multiple tight ends have been available over the past month.

But it could also suggest that Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur aren’t completely happy with the tight end room currently. Maybe they’re looking for a tight end who can come in and block, or another red zone target.

It’s also possible the Packers want to create more competition at the position at training camp.

Without Roberts, the Packers still have six tight ends currently on the roster: Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Jace Sternberger, Robert Tonyan, Pharoah McKever, and Evan Baylis.

At most, they’ll keep four on the final 53-man roster. But they could just as easily only keep three, which means there could be an interesting training camp competition at the position next month.

After releasing Roberts, will the Packers look to sign another tight end in the near future?