GREEN BAY — Jared Cook. Martellus Bennett. Lance Kendricks. Jimmy Graham. Marcedes Lewis.
For the better part of five years, the Green Bay Packers tried everything to solve their problems at tight end, signing plenty of well-known names at the position but getting less-than-stellar contributions in return.
Bennett was especially disappointing during a 2017 season in which quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ broken collarbone turned out to be mysteriously contagious, with Bennett developing a shoulder issue and bad-mouthing the team’s medical staff before being unceremoniously dumped during the season.
The Packers have tried the draft, too, with general manager Brian Gutekunst spending a third-round pick in back-to-back drafts on the position, picking Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger two years ago and Cincinnati’s Josiah Deguara last year.