Packers Still Not Over Jermichael Finley

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Packers Still Not Over Jermichael Finley

Since the Green Bay Packers lost Finley to a neck injury almost three years ago their production from the tight end position has varied between adequate and poor - and Packers general manager has failed to replace Finley's big play ability in the tight end position.

By pointerjeff

Feb 15, 2016

53 comments

Those looking for causes for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ lack of success in the passing game this past season had many culprits at which to point fingers. Injuries to key personnel, lack of perimeter wide receiver speed, inability to separate from tight coverage and play-calling certainly all came into play. Yet aside from the loss of Jordy Nelson it has been the Packers inability to adequately replace tight end Jermichael Finley that may have contributed more than any other single factor.

Since the Packers lost Finley to a neck injury almost three years ago their production from the tight end position has varied between adequate and poor. After the Packers lost their best receiver in Jordy Nelson, his absence exposed major weaknesses in the wide receiver grouping. Inadequate targets for Aaron Rodgers when protection broke down was a major factor for a stalled passing attack. As the season wore on it became abundantly clear that general manager Ted Thompson had failed to give Rodgers the one weapon he needed to so desperately to succeed – a quality tight end.

In judging just how important the tight end position is in today’s game one needs to go no further than this year’s Super Bowl participants - the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. Greg Olson of the Panthers and former Wisconsin Badger Owen Daniels of the Broncos were crucial this season when it came to powering their respective offenses.

Olson was particularly productive for the mighty Panthers offense where he graded out as the league’s fifth best tight end according to the statistics furnished by ProFootball Focus. His 97.1 rating in the receiving game was number one in the league, far ahead of Richard Rodgers 79.6 score. Olson’s 1104 receiving yards were more than double Rodgers’ 510 but were comparable to Daniels 517.

Where the comparisons are particularly telling is in average yards per reception. Olson averaged 14.3 YPC for Carolina and Daniels turned in a respectable 11.2. For the Packers’ Rodgers his 8.8 YPC did not even rank in the top 50 of all NFL tight ends. His 31.9 YPG ranked a pedestrian 24^th. When the Packers needed a big play, other than in Detroit, they found Rodgers lacking.

In Finley the Packers had a playmaker defenses had to respect. While in a Packers uniform Finley averaged 12.2 yards per catch during the regular season and a gaudy 16.1 YPC in the playoffs.

Candidly it is unfair and unrealistic to expect Rodgers to morph into Jermichael Finley. They are very different players and used in different manners. But where the statistical comparisons are relevant is what Finley brought to the position vs. what the team possesses now.

The Packers don’t necessarily require an all-world tight end such as the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski or even the steady Greg Olson to thrive. Yet in order for the Packers offense to prosper, they will need more production from Richard Rodgers or for Thompson to acquire another playmaking tight end in the draft or free agency.

If help is to come from outside the ranks its caveat emptor –“buyer beware".

In unrestricted free agency – something Packers General Manager Ted Thompson abhors – notable tight ends are Antonio Gates (age 35, SD), Coby Fleener (age 27, IND), Jermaine Gresham (age 26, Arizona), Tony Moeaki (age 28, Atlanta) and Vernon Davis (age 29, Denver).

Another interesting free agent would have been Gary Barnidge who at 31 years of age had a breakout season for the Cleveland Browns. His 79 receptions (5^th best) netted 1,043 yards (4^th best), a 13.2 yards per catch average and nine touchdowns. What especially made Barnidge intriguing is that his position coach in Cleveland, Brian Angelichio, was recently hired by Mike McCarthy for the same job in Green Bay. Unfortunately, the Brown extended His contract aand he will be staying there.

In the college draft Hunter Henry of Arkansas is the only tight end likely to earn a first round grade. However the 6’ 6”, 255 lb. prospect is known more for his blocking than his receiving, something that Arkansas didn’t take advantage of during his tenure there. There are many draft experts however who project him to become effective in the pro game. After Henry, O.J. Austin Hooper of Stanford and Nick Vannett of Ohio State round out the top tier of tight ends and are thought to be day two selections. None however project future star-power in the NFL.

Further clouding the position, fellow Packers tight ends Justin Perillo (RFA) and Andrew Quarless (UFA) are set to hit free agency themselves. Coupled with huge question marks in rookies Kennard Backman – a non-entity in 2015 – and practice squad player Mitchell Henry, it will be incumbent for Thompson to somehow create an upgrade to the position for the 2016 season. With little to work with behind Rodgers, new blood will need to arrive to bolster the Packers offense.

In what was perhaps a thinly-veiled plea to his boss, head coach Mike McCarthy was recently quoted as saying, "Philosophically, to have a successful passing game, you have to have big targets that can turn in the middle of the field, whether it's a tight end or a big wide receiver."

Well put coach.

Whatever the solution it will now be up to Ted Thompson to ensure that the cupboard is not bare again for Aaron Rodgers in the upcoming season. Acquiring a play-making tight end should be at or near the top of his off-season list.

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