Today is the seventh day of two weeks of Green Bay Packers coverage leading up to the April 26 beginning of the NFL draft.
April 12: Five best first-rounders in the past 25 years
April 13: Five worst first-rounders in the past 25 years
April 14: Quarterbacks position preview
April 15: Running backs/fullbacks position preview
April 16: Offensive tackles position preview
April 17: Guards/centers position preview
Today: Tight ends position preview
April 19: Wide receivers position preview
April 20: Defensive linemen position preview
April 21: Linebackers position preview
April 22: Cornerbacks position preview
April 23: Safeties position preview
April 24: Ted Thompson's draft strategy
April 25: Forecasting the first-round pick
TODAY'S POSITION: TIGHT ENDS
Importance (1-to-10 scale): 2
On the roster
Starter Jermichael Finley just signed a new two-year deal to stay in Green Bay. If the talented but drop-prone Finley is able to live up to his potential over the next two seasons, the Packers could have an absolute game-changer on their hands. Finley missed the final 12 games of the 2010 regular season following a knee injury, so coach Mike McCarthy believed 2011 was mostly a get-healthy-and-stay-healthy year for Finley, and he was successful at doing that. Now the team must hope Finley, 25, takes the next step toward being a Pro Bowler in 2012 and 2013.
Behind Finley is one of the deepest groups of tight ends in the NFL. Andrew Quarless, still only 23 years old, played very well after Finley went down in 2010. However, Quarless suffered a significant knee injury during the 2011 season and, though he should be recovered in time for Week 1, will be in get-healthy mode this season.
There is also Tom Crabtree, who is much more of a run-blocking tight end than Finley and Quarless. Plus, the Packers added two more tight ends in the 2011 draft, D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor, who were both on the active roster all of last season. Williams is highly regarded by many around the NFL but hasn't played much yet.
Last five tight ends drafted
2011--D.J. Williams, Arkansas: fifth round (141st overall)--still with the Packers
2011--Ryan Taylor, North Carolina: seventh round (218th overall)--still with the Packers
2010--Andrew Quarless, Penn State: fifth round (154th overall)--still with the Packers
2008--Jermichael Finley, Texas: third round (91st overall)--still with the Packers
2006--Clark Harris, Rutgers: seventh round (243rd overall)--released in September 2007; currently with the Bengals
Philosophy at the position
There is no question GM Ted Thompson likes drafting tight ends. However, the Packers appear to be completely set there now, especially with Finley locked in for two more seasons. Green Bay was so deep at tight end that the talented and promising Williams barely took the field on offense in 2011.
The tight end position is a great example of where Thompson would like his roster to be in many other spots. There is quality at the top in the starting role, with depth and youth waiting in the wings.
It would be very surprising for Thompson to seek out another tight end this year. However, if the right player falls in the draft, a value pick could still happen.
Day 1 name to remember (Round 1)
There is no first-round talent at tight end in this year's draft, no matter how big a team's need is at that position. While it would be incredibly unlikely for the Packers to take a tight end anyway, the crop of players in this year's draft turns it from an improbable scenario into a zero-percent-chance, never-going-to-happen situation.
Day 2 name to remember (Rounds 2-3)
Coby Fleener, senior, Stanford (6-6, 247). Fleener is the only tight end who even has a chance of going in the first round and is far-and-away considered the best of this year's weak group. If he starts to fall on draft day, he would be a good value pick for any team late in the second round. Fleener knows how to get open on passing plays and has been compared to New England's Rob Gronkowski in the way that he runs before getting the ball. That's certainly a good name to be compared to heading into the draft. But even with Fleener's very strong attributes, he will likely not hear his name on Day 1 of the draft. His is a name to look for in the second round.
Day 3 name to remember (Rounds 4-7)
Orson Charles, junior, Georgia (6-2, 251). Williams' former college teammate, Charles is also a smaller, more compact tight end. He could go in the second day of the draft, but it's unlikely. Charles will be a good pick for a team until the fourth or fifth round. He does most things well on the field but does nothing exceptionally well. The Packers would likely not become interested in Charles, or any other tight end of his caliber, until at least the fifth round. And even that may be a stretch.
FOXSports.com's draft expert Taylor Jones says:
"Any time you can steal the best tight end in college football in the fifth round (which is what happened when the Packers got D.J. Williams last year), I think you're OK at that spot. I don't think that's a position of need in Green Bay, especially with Finley.
"Every tight end this year had a bad Combine. I left that thing thinking there's only two or three guys who should be drafted. It was that bad. No one caught the ball consistently, and they all looked over-extended in blocking drills.
"Coby Fleener is really the only valuable talent this year."
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