The Green Bay Packers have no shortage of difficult decisions to make regarding their pending free agents. One underrated piece that Green Bay could face surprise competition for is tight end John FitzPatrick. While his receiving statistics aren't eye-catching, FitzPatrick should draw some attention on the open market for his blocking abilities alone. Compared to other players on the roster, the tight end is a bit of a free agent afterthought, but there is still reason to believe teams will attempt to swoop in and steal him.
FitzPatrick is expected to be incredibly affordable, with Spotrac projecting a deal worth $1.2 million in free agency. Already, the tight end is looking more compelling. Add in the fact that he is a massive mismatch at 6'7 and a great blocker, and other teams are going to see the value in attempting to acquire a young tight end who could still be scratching the surface of his potential at a low price point.
Four years of experience have mainly been spent as a reserve, with FitzPatrick's stint in Green Bay being his first real chance. The pass catcher finished with 72 yards and a lone touchdown before suffering the Week 16 season-ending injury. While these numbers aren't eye-popping, they are impressive enough to garner attention from teams looking for cheap depth,
Packers Fans Should Prepare for Stiff Competition Re-signing Depth Tight End John FitzPatrick
FitzPatrick comes from an accomplished Georgia program and spent two years developing in the Atlanta Falcons system. This was before showing true progress with Green Bay each of the past two seasons and leaving room for competition with what would be an underrated signing.
Not only is FitzPatrick showing progress, but the tight end is coming off an injury that likely makes any signing for the 2026 season a bargain. The most sensible way for Green Bay to retain the pass catcher is to offer a two-year deal, hoping to beat teams looking to bring him in for just the 2026 campaign.
What Green Bay does have working in its favor is that the Packers are the first team to show trust in FitzPatrick, helping the big man develop into a viable NFL player. With this in mind, the Packers aren't completely without hope, but re-signing the TE will be an uphill battle with teams searching for a surprise bargain at the position, likely leading them to FitzPatrick. No question, keeping the up-and-coming tight end will be tougher than expected.