M
Mark Eckel
Guest
By BOB McGINN
This is the second of a nine-part position-by-position series in which the 67 players of the Green Bay Packer’ 53-man roster and injured-reserved lists at the end of the season are graded. Playing-time percentages are from offense and defense only.
TIGHT ENDS (3)
EMANUEL BYRD (1.1%): When the Packers needed a second body at the position he came off an eight-week stint on the practice squad to play 11 snaps in the finale. When the Lions paid no attention to Byrd in the flat, his 29-yard reception was longer than all but one of the heralded Martellus Bennett’s 24 catches. Byrd lacks the size (6-2, 240), speed (4.65), athleticism (33 5/8 inches) and intelligence (13 on the Wonderlic intelligence test) to be a legitimate prospect. Grade: Incomplete.
LANCE KENDRICKS (44.6%): The Packers plucked the Milwaukee native off the street in March for a song (two years, $4 million, $1.2M guaranteed). The price was right but the production and performance weren’t. Kendricks started 79 games (204 receptions) for the Rams from 2011-’16 but at this point he’s just a second or third tight end. His blocking was better than Jared Cook’s but he wasn’t in the same hemisphere as a receiver. In fact, he wasn’t a threat at all, showing minimal speed and quickness in and out of his cuts. He led the tight ends in “bad” runs with six, one-half more than Richard Rodgers and twice Bennett’s total before he was discarded after 37% playing time. Kendricks’ drop rate of 13.8% (four of 29) was only slightly better than the butter-fingered Bennett (16.7%, six of 36). At a soon-to-be 30, he might be a band-aid for another year. Grade: D-plus.
RICHARD RODGERS (29.2%): Mired as No. 3 until Bennett’s ride on the gravy train ended after Game 7, Rodgers was No. 2 until passing up Kendricks with a month to go. Kendricks played 45.4% of his snaps in a three-point stance compared to 42.8% for Rodgers and 31.8% for Bennett. Rodgers is a sleeker-looking athlete having lost weight over time but it hasn’t been reflected by his playing speed. He’s still that 4.87 40 or thereabouts with good but not great hands (seven drops in 65 drops the past two years). Moreover, he’s a below-average blocker. Now might be the time for the Packers to move on (his contract expired) and force themselves to get better. Grade: D-plus.
The post Final Grades: Tight Ends appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.
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This is the second of a nine-part position-by-position series in which the 67 players of the Green Bay Packer’ 53-man roster and injured-reserved lists at the end of the season are graded. Playing-time percentages are from offense and defense only.
TIGHT ENDS (3)
EMANUEL BYRD (1.1%): When the Packers needed a second body at the position he came off an eight-week stint on the practice squad to play 11 snaps in the finale. When the Lions paid no attention to Byrd in the flat, his 29-yard reception was longer than all but one of the heralded Martellus Bennett’s 24 catches. Byrd lacks the size (6-2, 240), speed (4.65), athleticism (33 5/8 inches) and intelligence (13 on the Wonderlic intelligence test) to be a legitimate prospect. Grade: Incomplete.
LANCE KENDRICKS (44.6%): The Packers plucked the Milwaukee native off the street in March for a song (two years, $4 million, $1.2M guaranteed). The price was right but the production and performance weren’t. Kendricks started 79 games (204 receptions) for the Rams from 2011-’16 but at this point he’s just a second or third tight end. His blocking was better than Jared Cook’s but he wasn’t in the same hemisphere as a receiver. In fact, he wasn’t a threat at all, showing minimal speed and quickness in and out of his cuts. He led the tight ends in “bad” runs with six, one-half more than Richard Rodgers and twice Bennett’s total before he was discarded after 37% playing time. Kendricks’ drop rate of 13.8% (four of 29) was only slightly better than the butter-fingered Bennett (16.7%, six of 36). At a soon-to-be 30, he might be a band-aid for another year. Grade: D-plus.
RICHARD RODGERS (29.2%): Mired as No. 3 until Bennett’s ride on the gravy train ended after Game 7, Rodgers was No. 2 until passing up Kendricks with a month to go. Kendricks played 45.4% of his snaps in a three-point stance compared to 42.8% for Rodgers and 31.8% for Bennett. Rodgers is a sleeker-looking athlete having lost weight over time but it hasn’t been reflected by his playing speed. He’s still that 4.87 40 or thereabouts with good but not great hands (seven drops in 65 drops the past two years). Moreover, he’s a below-average blocker. Now might be the time for the Packers to move on (his contract expired) and force themselves to get better. Grade: D-plus.
The post Final Grades: Tight Ends appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.
Continue reading...