Green Bay Packers FB and TE Best & Worst Case Scenarios

Blocking Tight Ends

An extension of the offensive line can be an important component of a successful run game. This is how Marcedes Lewis has carved out a 15-year career in the NFL. James Looney, easily the Green Bay Packers’ heaviest tight end at 287 pounds – 20 pounds heavier than Lewis – is likely trying to build the same niche for himself.

Marcedes Lewis

No Green Bay Packers’ tight end has been on an active roster for more than two years coming into this season. Lewis has more years in the league than the rest of them combined, as this is his 15th season in the NFL. Remember when he hurdled a guy last year against the Eagles? Yeah, me too, but if you don’t, there’s a picture above to remind you.

Lewis’ game was never really about catching the football. At his peak, he caught 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns, and only had two other seasons of over 500 yards. Over two seasons in Green Bay, he’s only caught 18 balls for 195 yards, but Rodgers got him a touchdown last year.

Lewis’ best and worst-case scenarios really aren’t about stats. It’s about being on the field because if he’s still out there, then he’s shown the coaching staff he still has value. Last year, he played 45% of snaps, but with Sternberger on the rise, they’ll have to play a lot of two-tight end sets for him to hit that again.

There’s also a very very small chance he’s cut to save $2,300,000 if Looney shows he can be Green Bay’s big blocking tight end for the next few years, but with how much of a leader Lewis is in the locker room it’s very unlikely.

Best Case Stats: 45% of snaps, 20 receptions, 250 yards, 2 touchdowns

Worst Case Stats: 15% of snaps, 5 receptions, 40 yards, 0 touchdowns

James Looney

You just heard the best-case scenario for Looney. He has to try to convince the coaches that he’s the guy to be that extension of the line and do the dirty work in the trenches. There’s also a slight chance he could beat out Tonyan if he shows receiving skill, but that’s probably even more unlikely.

Looney started his career on the defensive line, but after playing tight end in practice, the coaches were so impressed they moved him there permanently. What they were impressed with, his blocking or pass-catching is another question.

His roster chances look slim because there is a minuscule chance of the Green Bay Packers keeping five tight ends, especially if they have six receivers. Looney is now in a position where he’s playing a position he’s unfamiliar with, and if he can’t make this roster, it’s unlikely any other teams will believe in his tight end ability. Even if he did make the team, there’s a chance he’d be strictly a blocking tight end to be used in jumbo personnel.

Best Case Stats: 20% of snaps, 10 receptions, 125 yards, 1 touchdown

Worst Case Stats: 5% of snaps, 0 receptions, 0 yards, 0 touchdowns

Evan Baylis

Last season, Evan Baylis was activated from the practice squad for three games, giving him his first regular-season action since he played 19 total snaps in a game for the Houston Texans in 2017. He was mostly used on special teams, as he got 53 snaps there in three games and just 12 offensive snaps.

Baylis isn’t quite as heavy as the other two in this category, but blocking is still usually his focus as it was in college at Baylor, where his biggest season catching passes was 16 receptions for 229 yards and a TD. 

He is a bit of an anomaly on a Green Bay Packers roster that boasts tons of pure raw athletic talent as he is a guy without those athletic traits. His 40-yard dash, speed score, burst score, and catch radius are in the bottom 20 percent of tight ends. He will probably once again be on the practice squad.

Best Case Stats: 25% of snaps played, 10 catches, 110 yards, 1 touchdown

Worst Case Stats: 5% of snaps played, 2 catches, 15 yards, 0 touchdowns