After the Packer’s dramatic 24-21 win in Arizona Thursday, the team got horrible news. Starting tight end Robert Tonyan has a torn ACL. The Packers were already short-handed at the Wide Receiver positions. It showed on the field. Rodgers only completed one pass beyond 10 yards (to Tonyan on the injured play). With Tonyan out the rest of the season, the question arises: Should the Packers trade for Evan Engram?
Packers' TE Robert Tonyan's agent, @jackbechta, confirmed that his client tore his ACL last night.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 29, 2021
A trade for Engram wouldn’t be expensive, even for a pro bowler from last year. Engram so far this year only has 20 receptions for 178 yards. Since the start of 2020, he only has one receiving touchdown. But he was a former first-round pick back in 2017 and is on a contract year. With the Giants trying to avoid the basement of the NFL, they are looking for a suitor for Engram before the November 2nd deadline.
This is very similar to the Will Fuller rumors from last year. Fuller wanted out of Houston on a contract year, and even showed interest in Green Bay. But the Packers chose to not make a move, even with the receiver position banged up. Tonyan this year hadn’t even been playing all that well. He only has three games above 10 receiving yards on the year.
The reason though the Packers won’t trade for Engram is the replacement for Tonyan: Josiah Deguara.
Deguara is an unknown so far for the Packers. Josiah was taken in the third round in the infamous 2020 draft. After a slow start last season, he tore his ACL before he could even learn the offense. Now fully healthy, we have seen Deguara sprinkled into the offense every now and then, mainly as an H-Back. But when Tonyan went down, Deguara was in for the majority of the game.
Another Matt LaFleur play call I really liked, this time a TE screen to Josiah Deguara. Pretty simple but effective at taking advantage of Arizona's aggressive defensive front pic.twitter.com/CH1jSsjs66
— Jack Brentnall (@Jack_Brentnall) October 30, 2021
After the Tonynan injury, Josiah was immediately targeted on a TE Screen. He then got another catch at the start of the next drive. Deguara won’t be a vertical threat like Tonyan, rather a possession guy on key downs. He can also play out of the backfield as a full back, blocking for the running backs. LeFleur loved him coming out of Cincinnati and even admitted they might’ve reached for him in the third round. But Matt had to have Josiah on this team.
Now it’s his chance to prove it.
What do you think about a trade for Evan Engram?
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