Green Bay Packers Need to Re-Examine Their Tight End Situation

The NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, and the excitement about Green Bay Packers tight end Richard Rodgers' highlight-reel-worthy Hail Mary touchdown catch in Week 13 is fading fast, as neither Rodgers nor any of Green Bay's tight ends have made an impact since that game.

Rodgers is currently 17th in the league in yards on the season among tight ends with 449.

However, in yards per reception, Rodgers falls all the way to 53rd among tight ends with just nine yards per catch in 2015.

The Packers haven't seen high-level, explosive production from the tight end position in years.

To find the last time a Packers tight end finished in the top 10 in the league in receiving yards among all players at the position, you'd have to go all the way back to 2009, when Jermichael Finley had 676 yards (10th among tight ends).

Before Finley, there was Donald Lee, who had 575 yards in 2007 (ninth).

Season	Total TE Yards	Total TE TDs
2015	558	8
2014	551	6
2013	760	6
2012	938	5
2011	858	10

But even though those numbers were good enough for top-10 status for Lee and Finley in those respective seasons, they're nowhere near those of the difference-making tight ends of the league—players who can reach 1,000 receiving yards in multiple seasons.

Of course, the modern Packers offense has not always had a need for Rob Gronkowski-like numbers from its tight ends.

After all, in 2013, there was a distinct possibility that receivers Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb all could have reached 1,000-plus yards had Cobb played more than six games. As it was, Nelson had 1,314 and Jones had 817.

But even if the Packers offense doesn't require 1,000 yards from its tight end, what about 500?

At this point in the season, Rodgers is on pace to just barely surpass that mark.

The lack of a pass-catching threat to attack the seam has been obvious this season as the Packers have missed having a top tight end, but the issues run even deeper than that.

Rodgers' blocking has improved since his rookie season, but he's still ranked 68th out of 75 qualifying tight ends in pass blocking and 53rd in run blocking.

Justin Perillo has performed much better in blocking for Aaron Rodgers, but he hasn't played enough snaps (117 on the season) to make a substantial difference.

As ESPN's Rob Demovsky reported on Monday, Green Bay did activate tight end Andrew Quarless off the temporary injured reserve list, making him available for the last two regular-season games and the playoffs:

Quarless suffered a knee injury in Week 3 and was played on IR with designation to return. Before the injury, he had just two receptions for 14 yards, as the Packers gave Rodgers the starting nod to open the season.

But now, Quarless' veteran presence could be just what the offense needs as it attempts to find more consistency and explosiveness on offense.

"I’ve taken this time to knock off some of the rust," Quarless said, per Demovsky. "Now I’m definitely oiled up, I’m lubed up. No more rust. I’m feeling good."

Even if Quarless can become a hot weapon for Aaron Rodgers and get the offense moving down the field for the remainder of the season, however, it wouldn't solve the Packers' future issues at the position.

Quarless becomes a free agent in March, and it's doubtful Green Bay makes the six-year veteran an enticing offer to stay. Rodgers still needs time to develop, but it's clear after almost two full seasons that he's not going to transform into one of Green Bay's top targets in the passing game.

Now, is Rodgers becoming a valuable end-zone target? Absolutely. The second-year tight end is fifth in the league among all tight ends in scoring with seven touchdowns on the season.

That's an incredibly valuable weapon for the Packers to have in their arsenal.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

But a strong red-zone threat only helps a team if it can get into the red zone.

Green Bay also needs weapons that can help move the offense down the field, create mismatches and convert third downs.

Should the Packers prioritize the tight end position in their draft in 2016? It sounds ridiculous considering their needs at inside linebacker and potentially nose tackle if neither B.J. Raji nor Letroy Guion re-sign with the team, but perhaps that's exactly why the move needs to be made.

General manager Ted Thompson is excellent at occasionally uncovering hidden talent in the depths of the draft, but if the Packers are ever going to have a difference-maker at the tight end position—a Delanie Walker, Tyler Eifert or Greg Olsen—they're going to have to make it a priority.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.