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Green Bay Packers Sign TE Eli Wolf and Cut WR Chris Blair

By Paul Bretl

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 14: Eli Wolf #87 of the Baltimore Ravens in action against Shaq Smith #46 of the New Orleans Saints during the second half of a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 14, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 14: Eli Wolf #87 of the Baltimore Ravens in action against Shaq Smith #46 of the New Orleans Saints during the second half of a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 14, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Earlier in the week, the Green Bay Packers had rounded out their 90-man roster, signing edge rusher Kobe Jones, who was in for a tryout during rookie mini-camp.

However, as Brian Gutekunst says, roster building is a 365-day a year job, and with that comes roster turnover—even when the roster appears set.

According to Ian Rapoport, the Packers have signed tight end Eli Wolf. The corresponding move to make room for Wolf on the roster, according to Aaron Wilson, was releasing wide receiver Chris Blair, who spent a majority of the 2021 season on the practice squad and is a 2020 UDFA from Alcorn State with no career NFL snaps.

What to know about the newest member of the Green Bay Packers

The 6’4″ – 236 pound Wolf went undrafted in 2020 after spending his college career at Tennessee and Georgia. Wolf was used sparingly in the passing game, with only 10 targets during his first three seasons at Tennessee.

His most productive season as a pass-catcher came with Georgia in 2019, when he caught 13 of his 21 targets at 14.6 yards per catch with a touchdown. Wolf also lined up in the slot on 60% of his snaps that year, according to PFF ($$).

Of Wolf’s 751 career college snaps, 408 came as a run-blocker. In 2019, he was PFF’s 14th highest graded run-blocking tight end. He would also finish his collegiate career with 219 special teams snaps as well.

At the NFL level, Wolf doesn’t have any regular season snaps but spent time with Baltimore and Indianapolis.

For the 2022 season, the Packers seem pretty well set at the tight end position with Robert Tonyan set to return, along with also having Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis, and Dominique Dafney.

However, if we look ahead to 2023, only Deguara is under contract. Perhaps the Green Bay Packers see Wolf as a developmental practice squad player who can add competition to the back-end of the roster, along with someone who has found success as a run-blocker in college—and we all know how important of an aspect that is to Matt LaFleur.

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