I keep seeing people say this. If TE is such a key position in Lafleur’s offense, then why the hell has he hardly ever used them? I don’t know how many times I saw Tonyan just run a 1-2 yard route and turn around and wait on the check down this past year. Yes he was coming off injury, but they never designed any plays for the TE. So frustrating.
Originally Posted by: go.pack.go.
There is a lot of reasons for this... starting with, lack of talent at TE and them being used more than you realized as blocking or roll out short pass and Lazard being used for his blocking.
Another huge factor is that the Packers have been running a hybrid scheme, some of LaFleaur's scheme, some of Rodgers preferences of MM's scheme, and MM's scheme doesn't highlight the TEs nearly as much.
What's so important to the Wide Zone (Shanahan, McVay, LaFleaur) offensive scheme is versatility of players to give them multiple options to run different type of plays out of the same looks or formations. As TEs are naturally asked to be more versatile, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a TE. As they used Lazard (and that's the reason some thing the Packers might be getting WR Corey Davis from the Jets as he was used like Lazard).
But looking at the wide zone across the league they usually have a blocking TE role. They also have a large slot role which is normally filled by either a receiving TE (49ers George Kittle) or a large/quick WR (Rams Cooper Kupp). (No this is not the role Lazard filled, not quick enough for it). The Packers really have not had that guy, other than using Adams there at times.
But to properly run the wide zone offensive, they need players that can stay on the field and they can go into almost any formation, from a 3 wide look to a one TE and one FB look.
In theory Dugara is a player that could be out wide or line up at FB, but how talented is he?
They don't necessarily need TEs, but they do need versatility, and be able to line up guys in multiple roles, which is it happens to natural fit TEs more. But Gute also (wrongly) drafted Amari Rodgers with the idea that he could be a WR or RB versatility.