One free agent who would help take the Packers' offense over the top
The Green Bay Packers should aggressively pursue one of the most unique talents in the free agency pool.
The Green Bay Packers are in a familiar position in the 2023 offseason as the team looks to add weapons to the offense. The Packers will have to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make his official decision, but adding a premier pass catcher through free agency sure wouldn’t hurt the re-recruiting process.
With the help of Football Outsiders, ESPN recently released an article linking Green Bay to one of football’s rising stars at the tight end position — Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz.
“You may have heard that change could be coming to the quarterback position in Green Bay. You also should know that change is definitely coming when we look at who the Green Bay quarterback will be throwing to.
Veterans Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Robert Tonyan are all free agents. Why don't we complement the young Packers wideouts with a quality, dependable veteran at tight end? Schultz's advanced stats weren't great in 2022, primarily because of a low 64% catch rate and fewer yards after catch than he had in previous seasons. But it was just two years ago that Schultz ranked fourth in receiving DYAR among all tight ends, catching 78 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns with a 75% catch rate.”
Schultz is not your stereotypical tight end. His speed and athleticism create a mismatch on most of the game’s top linebackers.
In 2022, Schultz caught 57 passes for 577 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He played in 15 games and had to deal with Cooper Rush taking over for the injured Dak Prescott early in the season.
He had a career year in 2021 compiling 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. Schultz is a weapon in the low red zone and his 10.1 yards per catch prove that he can make plays for his quarterback down the field.
Adding Schultz wouldn’t just serve as a replacement for Tonyan, but it would be an immediate upgrade at the position. Whether Rodgers returns or the Packers give the keys to the offense to Jordan Love, having an upper-echelon tight end would do wonders for the offense.
