Green Bay Packers: 5 Most Intriguing Players for 2021 Season
By Paul Bretl
Josiah Deguara
Last season, we saw a very small glimpse of what Josiah Deguara can add to this offense, and the answer was a little bit of everything. Against Minnesota, Deguara was on the field for 24 offensive snaps, and we saw him lined up in the backfield, inline, and in the slot, showing off that versatility that Matt LaFleur covets. He was very good as a blocker, finishing that week with one of PFF’s highest run-blocking grades among tight ends, and while he had only one reception for 12 yards, there were several opportunities for him in space; the ball just never went his way.
Upon the selection of Deguara, many in Packer nation were left scratching their heads. An H-back in Round 3? But in the LaFleur offense, a player with Deguara’s skill-set plays a very important role–similarly to that of Kyle Juszczyk in San Francisco with Kyle Shanahan. With Deguara’s ability to move around the formation and play a number of roles, he helps LaFleur achieve that “illusion of complexity” that he’s striving for, which essentially means running the same play from a variety of personnel and have different plays that look similar in the beginning. This leaves the defense guessing.
Next. A Look at UDFA Carlo Kemp & What He Adds. dark
Adding Deguara back into the mix will give this already potent offense an element that they were missing for much of the season. With LaFleur as the play-caller, Deguara is a human chess piece, and I can’t wait to see how he’s utilized and what play designs we will see with him on the field for an entire season–which is why he makes this list for me.