Thursday, October 26, 2006

TE David Martin caught his first TD reception of the season against Miami, and it was the first TD pass thrown to a tight end in 2006. This AP article discusses how the Packers planed on using the tight end more due to injuries at wide receiver and how the Packers hadn't actually used the tight end much in 2006. Now with WR Greg Jennings's ankle injury likely to slow to him down, and maybe even force him to miss a game, the tight end would appear to take a more prominent role with four tight ends on the roster, including former Pro Bowl TE Bubba Franks. Martin and TE Donald Lee had plays called for them down the middle of the field against Miami, but Franks's role appears to be only as a dump off option. Franks has dropped multiple passes this season and appears to be struggling with even that role. Mike McCarthy's offense doesn't appear to involve the tight end as anything more than a second or third option with an occasional pass thrown down the middle. The wide receivers are the passing offense now. If WR Ruvell Martin struggles to get open, then teams might have even more incentive to double team WR Donald Driver and maybe the entire Packers offense begins to stall.

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