Packers could have something in tight end Tyler Davis
The Green Bay Packers have a deep tight end group.
No, they don’t have an All-Pro. They don’t even have a Pro Bowl tight end (2020 Pro Bowl voting needs to apologize to Robert Tonyan right now).
However, they have an established receiving tight end in Tonyan and a long-time veteran in the 37-year-old Marcedes Lewis, who is still one of the premier run-blocking TEs in the game.
After that, they have some younger players at the position that have talent but a small sample size.
Third-year Josiah Deguara had a nice rebound season for someone in his position as the No. 3 TE and coming off of a torn ACL in his rookie year (25 receptions, 245 yards, two TDs, 9.9 YPC). Deguara can line up anywhere and is also making great strides as a fullback.
Dominique Dafney, who was a bouncer in Dubuque, IA before getting a call from the Packers in 2020, is more of a run-blocker than a tight end, and for good reason. Dafney is 6-2, 243 lbs. He has the body of a linebacker, which allows him to create a big hole for running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
Then, there is a man by the name of Tyler Davis.
The former high school QB earned his stripes late last season by helping fill the void left by Tonyan after his ACL tear. However, No. 84 also made plays on special teams in 2021 and has already caught the eye of special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
“(Davis) has certainly made his mark on special teams,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said this week. “He’s a guy that I know Rich was really excited about when we hired Rich, just what he can bring because he’s a guy that’s going to give you great effort each and every snap and he can really run.”
In regards to Davis’ impact on the offense last season, LaFleur also said, “I thought he did a hell of a job.”
While spending much of 2021 on the scout team, Davis continued to learn the offense and continued to get more and more reps. The 6-4, 250-pounder and Aaron Rodgers could form a matchup nightmare, especially in the red zone.
The former sixth-rounder can earn the trust of his QB and has caught the eye of his coaches.
If Davis continues to emerge, the Green Bay TE room is going to be a massive problem for opposing defenses.
In both the running and passing game, Matt LaFleur has versatility and strength on his side within that group. The Packers are becoming more and more physical by the day.