Ben Sims creates more rookie magic for the Packers after first career touchdown
The Green Bay Packers are quickly becoming one of the most fun teams to watch and root for in the NFL in 2023. The team currently has one of the youngest rosters ever constructed and seeing the youth start to come along is joyous to witness. The Packers have now won three straight games and […]
The Green Bay Packers are quickly becoming one of the most fun teams to watch and root for in the NFL in 2023.
The team currently has one of the youngest rosters ever constructed and seeing the youth start to come along is joyous to witness. The Packers have now won three straight games and currently hold the final spot in the NFC playoff picture entering Week 14.
A big reason for the Packers' offensive success this season has been the quick development of their rookie class. No other team in the NFL has asked more from their first year players than the Packers have.
Entering Week 14, the Packers have 2,417 yards from rookie or second-year players. That number is by far the most in the NFL and proves how quickly the team's young players have come along this season.
Undrafted rookie tight end Ben Sims was the latest Packers youngster to make a name for himself in Week 13 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Sims has played 12 games during his rookie season but saw his opportunities skyrocket in Week 11 after fellow rookie tight end Luke Musgrave was injured against the Los Angeles Chargers and missed the last two games.
Over the past three weeks, Sims' offensive snap percentages has been 22 percent, 25 percent, and a career-high 31 percent on Sunday night. Sims caught his only target for a one-yard touchdown for the Packers first score of the night against the defending champs.
Sims celebrated in the best possible way for a Packers rookie catching his first career touchdown by having his first Lambeau Leap. It's always a special moment for any Packers player, but especially for a rookie doing the celebration for the first time.
"Growing up, you always wish to play in the NFL and you always wish to play in the mecca of pro football," Sims said after the game. "Today, I got to do that and I got to score my first touchdown and got to Lambeau Leap. So my heart is full."
With his touchdown on Sunday night, the Packers now have had three rookie tight ends score a touchdown in the same season for the first time in the Super Bowl Era. Tucker Kraft served as the team's primary tight end against the Chiefs hauling in a career-high three receptions for 37 yards.
It was great to see Kraft and Sims step up in place of Musgrave. The Packers second-round pick suffered lacerated kidney in Week 11 and was placed on the injured reserve. Musgrave was 22 yards shy of breaking Bubba Franks' record of receiving yards by a Packers rookie tight end.
The Packers rookie class has totaled 113 receptions for 1,361 receiving yards and 9 receiving touchdowns. Of the six Packers rookies with 1+ reception in 2023, running back Emanuel Wilson is the only one without a reception touchdown. Wilson was placed on the injured reserve with a shoulder injury on November 22.
This Packers rookie class has been special and continues to look better and better with each passing week. Seeing this young and suddenly hot team make a playoff push would be a phenomenal outcome for all NFL fans.
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