Detroit Lions at the bottom of the NFC North tight end power rankings
By Ash Thompson
The Green Bay Packers tight ends
Jimmy Graham is not the player he once was. We need to establish that the Packers do not have a tight end that can stretch the field over the middle, exploit even the smallest seams and also dominate in the red zone with his size. The first two aspects of his game are gone.
At 31 years of age, Graham is not the player he once was. He is still extremely dangerous in short spurts, however. He could very well catch 18 touchdowns for the Packers in 2018. They have no other established red zone targets. Whatever else occurs, Jimmy Graham is still six feet, seven inches tall. That will always be a problem for opposing defenses in close quarters.
Graham has always been a poor blocker, so the Packers added Mercedes Lewis to help pick up that slack. The Jacksonville Jaguars mainstay, he was there for 12 years, earned the highest run blocking grade in the NFL from PFF in 2017.
Lewis has lost a step as a receiver, but he had success in 2016 as the Jags blocking specialist tight end. He is a tricky veteran with the ability to transition from blocker to receiver in an instant.
Lance Kendricks gives the Packers a third acceptable option at the tight end spot. He is not a starting caliber player, but he provides depth as both a receiver and as a blocker. The Packers have invested heavily in veterans at the position. They are clearly trying to maximize their time left with Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers have the deepest tight end group in the NFC North. They will get solid play in 16 games because of it. For that reason, the Packers have the second-best tight end group in the NFC North.