2024 Packer Receiver/TE group

Wondering if they keep 6 or 7 WR's, and who the odd man out will be, Samori Toure? Either way some pretty good WR talent won't make the 53. Pretty sure they keep 3 TE's.

I hope they don’t keep 7. Toure and Heath to the practice squad.

Injuries may happen during training camp and preseason.

Last season Heath seemed like the better player over Toure. I'm excited to see if they developed more this off-season.

Love Heath’s blocking. Lazard like.

Only reason the Packers receivers had better numbers is 'cause they gots the better QB.

@DurangoDoug posted:

Wondering if they keep 6 or 7 WR's, and who the odd man out will be, Samori Toure? Either way some pretty good WR talent won't make the 53. Pretty sure they keep 3 TE's.

They may keep 4 TEs. Kraft, Musgrave and Sims make the cut.  Davis could make the cut, solely as a STs standout. UDFA Messiah Swinson goes to the PS.

I see Toure as odd man out on the WR squad. DuBose may make the team, again, this time around, especially if there are injuries to any of the other WRs. They won't demote Heath as he is one of our best blocking WRs. Injuries to others will tell the tale of who makes the team.

@mrtundra posted:

They may keep 4 TEs. Kraft, Musgrave and Sims make the cut.  Davis could make the cut, solely as a STs standout. UDFA Messiah Swinson goes to the PS.

I see Toure as odd man out on the WR squad. DuBose may make the team, again, this time around, especially if there are injuries to any of the other WRs. They won't demote Heath as he is one of our best blocking WRs. Injuries to others will tell the tale of who makes the team.

They demoted Heath last year. There is another receiver on the team who blocks better than Heath. Watson!

Being on the team does not mean being on the field.

CTFB & block when told to block. You'll make the team.

From Ted Nguyen at The Athletic

LaFleur’s designs and timing consistently help create explosive and easy opportunities for Love. With a group as versatile and deep as the Packers have, he’ll keep defensive coordinators on their toes with all the personnel groupings he’ll deploy.

LaFleur loves multiple tight end sets and next season he’ll have his most talented tight end duo. Musgrave and Tucker Kraft were productive in spurts as rookies. Musgrave is a size-and-speed freak. He was finding his footing in the offense before missing Weeks 12-17 with a lacerated kidney. He had three receptions for 52 yards against the Cowboys in the playoffs. Kraft didn’t get a lot of snaps until Musgrave was hurt but had 28 receptions and 344 yards in the final eight games of the season.

What will be most interesting is how LaFleur uses his receivers situationally. Even if a clear top three emerges, you can’t let all that talent waste away on the bench. What sort of concepts or plays will certain receivers be used more in? Will he have a certain package of plays for different groupings of wide receivers?

This is the dude in charge of developing the Packers deeeeep WR room
He's been in the building for 3 years, so they know who he is as a coach

https://www.packers.com/team/c...roster/ryan-mahaffey

TE Coach in Titletown:  John Dunn

https://www.packers.com/team/coaches-roster/john-dunn

OK, what did i miss? What happened to last years WR coach?

He was eaten by the Hodag while camping near Rhinelander.  It's a sad story.

Well, that explains everything.

@Satori posted:

This is the dude in charge of developing the Packers deeeeep WR room
He's been in the building for 3 years, so they know who he is as a coach

https://www.packers.com/team/c...roster/ryan-mahaffey

The Green Bay Packers announced the promotion of Ryan Mahaffey
(muh-HAFF-ee) to wide receivers coach on March 12, 2024.

Mahaffey enters his fourth season with the Packers, having originally joined Green Bay in 2021 as an offensive quality control coach. He has spent the past two seasons as the assistant offensive line coach for the Packers. Mahaffey came to Green Bay after coaching in college from 2013-20.

Who was WR coach last year?

Going back to 2021, Jason Vrable was the WR coach.
After Getsy left, he also became Passing Game Coordinator in addition to WR, and remained in that role through the 2023 season.
In 2024, his responsibility is PGC only.

Got it, thanx Timmy. As PGC he will still be heavily involved in coaching this WR group.

This one is from the fine folks at PFF - talking about why Jaden Reed is a lousy fantasy option. They're not rong. MLF offense leans heavily on 2 WR sets

https://www.pff.com/news/fanta...d-on-their-2024-role

Reed was a very productive wide receiver as a rookie, but the only problem was his 24 routes per game. He ran that few routes because he exclusively played in 3-receiver sets.

The Packers took 378 snaps in 2 receiver sets in the regular season, including several without Christian Watson, and Reed took only 14 snaps in two receiver sets. He was out-snapped by Romeo Doubs, Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Bo Melton and Samori Toure. Of those 14 plays, Reed was primarily used as a rushing option or rushing decoy.

It could be difficult for Reed to gain more time in 2 receiver sets in his second year. The Packers kept their wide receivers in their usual roles the 2nd-most of all teams last season. Romeo Doubs was the X receiver, Christian Watson the Z and Dontayvion Wicks the primary backup to both. Wicks graded slightly better than Reed, and if anyone gains more playing time in 2-receiver sets, it might be Wicks. Even Melton emerged as an option late in the season, earning an 85.1 receiving grade on 79 routes, almost all from the final four weeks of the season.

The easiest way for a slot receiver who doesn’t play in 2- receiver sets to become a consistent fantasy asset is the team playing a lot of 11 personnel, but the Packers were right at league average at a 63.3% rate. They were at 54.2% during tie games, which was well below league average compared to other teams when tied. They were also at a 57.0% rate when playing with a lead, which is a lower rate compared to others with a lead."


Despite the Packers impressive depth and talent at WR, MLF still wanted a heavier offensive package 35 - 45 % of the time.

( which often leads to a "heavier" defense ... and that's easier to throw against)

But... what is the exact point of this info?
To generate fantasy stats or win real football games?

The sky’s the limit for these guys. Can’t wait to see the fireworks from these guys this season.

For those of us old enough to remember the tough years between SBII and SBXXXI, we can tell you we are incredibly spoiled to get about 30 years from Bert and Aaron and then segue to Love. Granted Love has only started for one season, but it’s damned hard not to think we hit the Jackpot when we took him.

Dang, I love being a Packers fan!

@RoyalWulff posted:

The sky’s the limit for these guys. Can’t wait to see the fireworks from these guys this season.

For those of us old enough to remember the tough years between SBII and SBXXXI, we can tell you we are incredibly spoiled to get about 30 years from Bert and Aaron and then segue to Love. Granted Love has only started for one season, but it’s damned hard not to think we hit the Jackpot when we took him.

Dang, I love being a Packers fan!

Royal,  you are so damn right that it sure has been incredible the last 30 years.  Before then there would be a few years of Lynn Dickey and Majik for a little bit but besides that ugh. 

I also think the signs are pointing towards hitting the jackpot for the third time.  I hope he doesn't hit a sophomore slump but I don't get that feeling about Love he seems to be working hard and really works to be a good team mate. 

All that being said, If this team stays healthy and they can play something resembling a good defense look out for this team.

.

Some notes on WR Miles Bokeem Melton...seems like giving him Driver's old number was a good fit

WR Bo Melton

Melton’s story isn’t unlike Ballentine’s as a former draft pick who had to work and wait for his opportunity.

Melton was a seventh-round pick by the Seahawks in 2022. The Packers picked him off Seattle’s practice squad in December 2022.

Despite a strong training camp last summer, he failed to make Green Bay’s 53-man roster and wound up on the practice squad. Finally, he made his NFL debut on Thanksgiving at Detroit. He caught his first pass a few weeks later against Tampa Bay. A week after that, he caught four passes for 44 yards in the key late-season victory at Carolina.

That set the stage for the primetime showdown at Minnesota. The Packers hadn’t had a 100-yard receiving game all season, but Melton caught six passes for 105 yards and one touchdown in a blowout win at the Vikings. He added five receptions for 62 yards in the finale against the Bears and scored a 19-yard touchdown in the playoff loss against the 49ers.

“It’s all about hard work, keeping God first. That’s what I did my whole life,” Melton said during OTAs. “That’s how I was raised. Just being cut, being on practice squad, just kept doing the journey, kept pushing along. I just wanted to be ready when my time came.”

During regular-season play, Melton caught 16 passes for 218 yards. Of the 127 receivers who were targeted 23 times (Melton’s number), he ranked fifth with 2.83 yards per route. That was behind four established stars: Tyreek Hill, Nico Collins, Brandon Aiyuk and Justin Jefferson.

“I say that’s just a start,” Melton said shortly after scoring a long touchdown at practice. “It was a nice journey just to be from practice squad to playing, but my goal was never just to be a practice-squad player in general. That’s never my mindset.

“I’m wanting to be a player in this league for a long time. I’ve been around a lot of good players here that motivated me during the whole year when I wasn’t playing. When I started to play, it was nothing different. I know when you do good things, good is expected. At the end of the day, I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. That’s been working since I was a kid.”

@Satori posted:

“I’m wanting to be a player in this league for a long time. I’ve been around a lot of good players here that motivated me during the whole year when I wasn’t playing. When I started to play, it was nothing different. I know when you do good things, good is expected. At the end of the day, I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. That’s been working since I was a kid.”

This is a different WR room from what most teams have, and from what GB has seen for a long time. Unselfishness will take this group as far as they want to go. I know it won't last forever, but I am enjoying it now!

@Fandame posted:

This is a different WR room from what most teams have

Indeed, and here's one cool way that MLF is maximizing this WR room:
using motion to get them free on in-breaking routes

https://x.com/i/status/1811510898332148218

from Warren Sharp via Twitter

number of offensive plays that gained 30+ yards last yr
* = playoff team

36 - SF*
33 - GB*
32 - MIA*, LAR*
30 - IND
28 - BAL*
27 - DET*, SEA
26 - KC*, CLE*, DAL*
25 - TB*, DEN
23 - PHI*, TEN
22 - BUF*, NO, CHI, JAX, NYG, MIN
21 - PIT*, ATL, CIN
20 - HOU*, LAC
19 - WAS, ARI
18 - NYJ
17 - LV
15 - NE
12 - CAR

That's really impressive work from La Fleur, nearly 2 per game with a young QB and young WR/TE room. And with deep threat Watson missing a lot of time

I'm also guessing 70-80% of those big plays were in the final half of the season.

If Omaha Productions is doing another season of Receiver it wouldn't be the worst idea to just follow the entire GB receiving group this year.

This was such a fun play from Love- Musgrave

https://x.com/i/status/1807889666999304225

How much each #NFL team will spend on their wide receivers in 2024.

Also included; what percentage of a team's total spending is taken up by WRs.

Highest % Allocated:
∙ #Seahawks → 22.94%
∙ #Dolphins → 22.23%
∙ #49ers → 20.21%

Lowest % Allocated:
∙ #Packers → 5.35%… pic.twitter.com/q9yxXZFSds

— Tyler Webb (@tylermwebb) July 15, 2024

Here's the graphic from Chongo's tweet-post above:

@Satori posted:

This was such a fun play from Love- Musgrave

https://x.com/i/status/1807889666999304225

If I recall, MLF or Love said that play wasn't executed the best because Love rushed it and didn't quite sell the second fake as well as he should have. Still, what a great play and call right then!

Here's Dusty Evely via ACME Packers- talking about maximizing 2 TE sets

https://www.acmepackingcompany...usgrave-tucker-kraft

"The question, basically, is how does this Green Bay Packers offense look with a healthy (and good!) Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft ? "

Dusty put together a set of clips showing various formations and route combos to illustrate MLF's scheme with 12 personnel on the field. ( 31 % of snaps)

I seem to recall the Packers were drooling at the prospect of bringing Keith Jackson to town, and Chmura was gushing about the effects and benefits of running 2 TE sets.

If Tucker and Kraft can provide similar/better performance, it can make a tremendous difference to the offense.

They cloned him?!

@Timmy! posted:

I seem to recall the Packers were drooling at the prospect of bringing Keith Jackson to town, and Chmura was gushing about the effects and benefits of running 2 TE sets.

If Tucker and Kraft can provide similar/better performance, it can make a tremendous difference to the offense.

I loved it when we signed Keith Jackson. For years, back in the mid 1990's, it seemed we could not get past neither the Cowboys nor the 49ers, to advance in the playoffs. Keith Jackson changed that for us. Even with Chmura and Jackson, we did not run the kind of two TE sets we are now running with Musgrave and Kraft. It's a new era, for certain and I cannot wait to see our young TEs, in action, once again. GO PACK, GO!!!

Matt LaFleur requires his wide receivers to block in the run game. When called upon last year, Malik Heath answered the call. There is a play on the first offensive drive against the Lions in Detroit that to most is not very memorable. Heath drove Lions CB Amik Robertson 5 yards and into the ground on a 4 yard first down carry for AJ Dillon. That is the kind of play that will win a wide receiver a roster spot.

https://packerstalk.com/2024/0...ll-the-packers-keep/

On first read I missed the conjunction.

Heath drove Lions CB Amik Robertson 5 yards into the ground ...

Really Wile E Coyote'd his ass.