Grading Packers’ tight ends through four games of 2020 season
The Green Bay Packers’ tight ends were expected to contribute much this season, but they’ve been surprisingly adequate.
After waiving Jimmy Graham in the offseason, the external expectations of the Green Bay Packers‘ tight ends were quite low. They used a third-round draft pick to shore up the position, but were otherwise counting on a player without a regular season catch, a former basketball star and a 36-year-old to lead the position.
After previously grading the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and offensive line, we wrap up this side of the ball by focusing on tight ends. Let’s grade each player a quarter of the way through this season based on their expectations coming into the year.
Marcedes Lewis: Lewis’s best days are clearly behind him, but he’s been very good for the Packers this season. He’s basically a sixth offensive lineman and is excellent in both run-blocking and pass-blocking. This allows Green Bay to keep defenses on their toes when he’s on the field, as there’s an equal chance of running or throwing the rock. He also added a pretty nice touchdown catch to his resumé this year.
Grade: B+
Robert Tonyan: Maybe the biggest surprise on the roster, Tonyan has continued his growth as a tight end. He leads the league at his position with five touchdown receptions thanks to three of them coming in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. He’s also held his own as a pass-blocker. The future is bright for this former basketball star.
Grade: A-
Jace Sternberger: Sternberger was the presumptive starter heading into the season, but has struggled to begin the year. He’s only been targeted five times in the passing game, dropping one of them. He’s also graded as a horrible pass-blocker according to PFF. He’s clearly behind Lewis and Tonyan at this point and will look to turn it around following the bye.
Grade: D+
Next. Is Davante Adams injury prone?. dark
The other two tight ends on the Packers’ roster who have received playing time are Josiah Deguara (31 snaps) and John Lovett (20 snaps). Unfortunately, Deguara missed a game earlier this season due to an injury and is now out for the year after having season-ending knee surgery this week. Head coach Matt LaFleur clearly had big plans for Deguara and loved to use him all over the field. Lovett has been a surprise contributor, but likely won’t have a large role moving forward.