Desperate times require desperate measures, and the 2025 Green Bay Packers were absolutely desperate for help at tight end. Tucker Kraft suffered a season-ending injury, leaving a huge void in the passing game.
The Packers had no shortage of potential options to step up, with Luke Musgrave as the likeliest beneficiary. However, John FitzPatrick would have benefited greatly from raising his game, especially since he was in a contract year. Although Kraft's injury opened the door to earn more snaps until he suffered his own season-ending issue, FitzPatrick isn't known to be a pass-catcher, which is something teams value when adding tight ends.
As a result, the former Packer is still stewing in free agency, leaving time to tell when he'll find his next destination.
There's Absolutely No Buzz Around John FitzPatrick Right Now
The tight end market is drying up pretty quickly. Dallas Goedert just agreed to a deal to return to the Philadelphia Eagles, and he was one of the biggest names up for grabs. With him off the board, teams will shift their focus to David Njoku, Jonnu Smith, and even Zach Ertz.
According to Spotrac, FitzPatrick's next deal is projected at one year and just $1.2 million. That's more than doable for any team looking for a blocking tight end, so the lack of buzz around him speaks volumes about how the league views him, potentially concerned by
FitzPatrick has been in the league for three years now, including the last two in Green Bay. Over the past couple of seasons, the former Atlanta Falcon has made 24 total appearances, including four starts (all of them last season). He has 13 total receptions on 16 targets for 74 yards and one touchdown. While he's not there to catch passes as much as he is to clean up running lanes for ball-carriers, that lack of production is still far from impressive.
According to Pro Football Focus, the average depth of his targets was just 2.8 yards, so he wasn't much more than an escape valve and last resort to keep a play alive and barely get some positive yardage. He averaged six total yards per catch and 4.6 yards after the reception. He also dropped a couple of passes.
On a positive note, he did post a respectable 73.6 pass-blocking grade and a 66.0 run-blocking grade. That said, his lack of a playmaking upside likely means potential suitors will want to see more in terms of his recovery before offering any type of contract.
FitzPatrick might still find a new home, but it will be after most of the prominent free agents are no longer available.