3 steps Packers can take to get back to playoffs next year

Packers path back to playoffs in 2023: Acquire a legitimate two-way tight end

Robert Tonyan is headed for free agency and Marcedes Lewis should mercifully retire with grace this offseason. That means the Packers have a lot of available playing time to fill at the tight end position.

Tonyan should be retained if he’s willing to accept a reasonable discount, but there’s no reason to pay him over the odds. He’s not a difference-maker at a position that could add a lot of value to Green Bay’s offensive scheme under LaFleur.

In a perfect world, the Packers could acquire a legitimate two-way starter via free agency. Their run game needs a tight end who can line up and contribute as an in-line blocker. Finding a guy who can do that and stretch the defense down the field could be too much to ask for via free agency though.

As such, the Packers should consider addressing their need(s) at tight end via both free agency and the draft. Notre Dame standout Michael Mayer would be a terrific get in the middle of Round 1 for Green Bay. Time will tell if he’s still on the board when they go on the clock at No. 14.

Add in a reclamation project in free agency like Mike Gesicki or Austin Hooper and Green Bay could turn tight end into a position of relative strength. This position group is an underrated area of opportunity for the Packers.