The Green Bay Packers are a team that a lot of people are keeping an eye on during training camp. While they aren’t projected by many people to contend in 2023, there are a lot of intriguing storylines to follow.
The one that may intrigue people the most is how the youth movement on offense will go. The Packers have one of the youngest groups of pass catchers in NFL history heading into the 2023 season.
There isn’t a single wide receiver on the roster with more than one season of NFL experience under their belt as all 12 players are first or second-year guys. The tight end position has a little more experience with Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis both entering Year 4 of their careers.
However, the top two players at the position could both be rookies. The Packers used a second and third-round pick on Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft to reload the position after Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis both departed and landed with the Chicago Bears.
Recently, head coach Matt LaFleur had a sitdown interview with Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, discussing a number of topics from training camp practice. One of the things that LaFleur touched on was Musgrave, who he spoke very highly of.
“He can run. I was teasing the receivers the other day… He was the fastest guy on the offense (by GPS tracking)… He’s an exciting young prospect that has a lot of potential in that body. We’ve got to get it out of him.”
There is certainly no doubt about the impact that Musgrave can have at the tight end position as a pass catcher. He is supremely athletic and can be a game-changer, as speed like that normally isn’t possessed by tight ends.
But, Musgrave has to figure out how to stay on the field. That was an issue for him at Oregon State, where he played in 20 games in four seasons. On top of staying healthy, Musgrave must improve as a blocker.
Tight ends are an integral part of the Packers’ running game as extra blockers. It is an area that he has been working on throughout the offseason, consistently lining up against edge rusher, Preston Smith. Musgrave has certainly taken some lumps in that matchup, but it will help him in the long run.
Right now, the smart money would be on Musgrave being the starting tight end for the Packers. But, how much he is on the field will be determined by how much development he makes between now and Week 1. LaFluer and the Packers coaching staff know how much potential he possesses and will do their best to get it out of him before then.
