We were talking earlier about young tight ends, wondering whether Jace Sternberger might be worth a late-round pick. He’s one of three tight ends selected in the third round last year who didn’t do much of anything his first season (along with Kahale Warring and Josh Oliver).

Of this group, I think I like Sternberger the most. (Contingent, of course, on the Packers not obtaining some other kick-ass tight end before camp opens.) He’s looking like their probable starter, and he was a pass-catching tight end at Texas A&M.

But somebody in the comments section pointed out that he had very little confidence in the potential of any Green Bay tight end to finish with good numbers.

I thought that was an interesting idea. I have been going with the narrative that Jimmy Graham is simply done – that’s why he’s really struggled the last two years. But more fairly, perhaps some of the blame can be attributed to other parts of that offense. Matt LaFleur hasn’t yet won me over as an offensive coach. (How, for example, could the Packers be destroyed by San Francisco in the regular season last year, then show up for a playoff rematch with no new ideas?)

And Aaron Rodgers, while considered one of the great quarterbacks in the league, hasn’t had much success with tight ends over the years. He’s had a lot of seasons with big numbers, but I don’t see much success with tight ends.

Rodgers has been starting there for most of the last 12 years, and I see one top-10 tight end, with four others in the top 15.

GREEN BAY TIGHT ENDS (Aaron Rodgers)
YearPlayerTgtRecYdsAvgTDPPRRk
2011Jermichael Finley925576714.08179.79
2015Richard Rodgers85585108.88160.111
2009Jermichael Finley725567612.35152.612
2012Jermichael Finley876166710.92139.714
2018Jimmy Graham895563611.62130.612
2019Jimmy Graham603844711.83100.721
2008Donald Lee50393037.8599.320
2014Andrew Quarless462932311.1379.326
2013Andrew Quarless53323129.8275.236
2016Jared Cook513037712.6173.736
2013Jermichael Finley342530012.0373.037
2016Richard Rodgers47302719.0269.137
2009Donald Lee54372607.0169.031
2010Jermichael Finley262130114.3157.139
2014Richard Rodgers302022511.3254.543
2010Andrew Quarless332123811.3150.842
2012Tom Crabtree12820325.4346.347
2017Lance Kendricks351820311.3144.348
2009Spencer Havner10711216.0442.244
2018Lance Kendricks25191709.0142.050
2019Marcedes Lewis191515610.4136.651
2010Donald Lee1211736.6336.349
2017Richard Rodgers191216013.3134.058
2015Justin Perillo13111029.3127.262
2008Tory Humphrey171116214.7027.251
2019Robert Tonyan151010010.0126.064
2013Brandon Bostick14712017.1125.057
2008Jermichael Finley1267412.3119.461
2018Robert Tonyan647719.3117.779
2011Tom Crabtree86386.3115.863
2012D.J. Williams157578.1012.773
2010Tom Crabtree746115.3010.177
2013Ryan Taylor96305.009.084
2014Brandon Bostick4231.518.387
2016Justin Perillo54358.807.590
2011Ryan Taylor1144.017.481
2015Andrew Quarless54317.807.193
2018Marcedes Lewis433913.006.9104
2011Andrew Quarless433612.006.682
2017Emanuel Byrd223115.505.1100
2011D.J. Williams42136.503.393
2012Ryan Taylor111111.002.199
2019Jace Sternberger100--0.0119

—Ian Allan