The Green Bay Packers have made their roster approach for the 2023 season very clear: they are going young and they are relying on their homegrown talent to win games. And not just a few games. They fully expect to win the NFC North this season and return to the NFL Playoffs.
Green Bay’s roster is so young, they only have three players on their roster who are over the age of 30 (Preston Smith, Pat O’Donnell, and David Bakhtiari). During the 2023 NFL Draft, the Packers used a second round pick and their third round pick to draft two tight ends (Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft).
It is expected that Musgrave and Kraft will get the majority of snaps at tight end this season. The decision to roll with two rookies as their top two tight ends has drawn a lot of questions from many fans and analysts.
NFL Analyst Suggests the Green Bay Packers Sign Former Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans Tight End Geoff Swaim
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In an article recently published by Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine identified three positions he believes the Packers still need to address before the 2023 season begins. In addition to defensive line depth and backup quarterback, he listed the apparent need for Green Bay to sign a veteran tight end.
In order to address this need, he suggested that the Packers sign Geoff Swaim:
“The tight end market is fairly thin. Geoff Swaim might be the best fit. He isn’t an explosive receiver by any stretch but he’s made 29 starts over the last two seasons and can run block at 6’4”, 260 pounds.
“At the least, it gives the Packers a veteran with starting experience who could help bring the young guys along.”
Aside from Green Bay coaches and front office personnel stating on multiple occasions that they are ready to roll with who they have, there are a few things wrong with this suggestion.
If the Green Bay Packers Wanted a Veteran, They Would Have Brought Back Marcedes Lewis
Marcedes Lewis was never a big receiving threat in Green Bay, but he was (and is) one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. If the Packers were really interested in bringing in a seasoned veteran with starting experience to help mentor the rookies, they would have re-signed Lewis.
As it stands, Lewis remains an unrestricted free agent. He is not going to command big money wherever he signs, if he is signed, and would be a much more logical choice for the Packers than Swaim. Lewis knows the system, he is respected in the locker room, and he loves Green Bay.
Geoff Swaim Isn’t That Good… At All
Ballentine notes that Swaim can “can run block at 6’4″, 260 pounds.” However, he had a 62.0 run blocking grade in 2022 per PFF. To give an idea of how poor this would be for Green Bay, Tyler Davis had a run blocking grade of 62.7. Why waste a roster spot on Swaim when he is, essentially, just as poor a run blocker as someone the Packers already have?
Swaim also is not that good of a receiver. Last year, he played 17 games and had 12 receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers aren’t as good as Lewis’ (six receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns), but at least Lewis was a decent blocker.
Josiah Deguara had 13 receptions for 114 yards, though he is more of an H-Back. Still, Deguara’s receiving grade from PFF was 62.8 compared to Swaim’s 48.5 (Davis had 50.8 and Lewis had 51.9).
In eight NFL seasons, Swaim has played for the Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans. He has only had two seasons in which he eclipsed 100 yards receiving (2018- 242, 2021-210).
In other words, there is nothing that Swaim brings to this Packers team that it does not already have, except experience. Green Bay has already made it clear that they are going to rely on the veterans they have to lead their young players.
Despite the suggestion, Swaim makes absolutely no sense.
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