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Why the Green Bay Packers need to draft Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer

By Brendan Semon

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in action against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on September 17, 2022 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in action against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on September 17, 2022 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The fate of the next 5-10 years for the Green Bay Packers may very well hang in the balance in the 2023 offseason. Once again, the Packers and their fanbase don’t know if Aaron Rodgers will be their starting quarterback come Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season. In the event he’s not, whether that’s due to trade or retirement, Jordan Love would finally get a chance to show the NFL what he has.

Regardless of the status at quarterback, this is a team in serious need of playmakers on offense, particularly in the passing game. In 2022, they made a very strong start to their offensive retooling by drafting two legitimate ballers at wide receiver in Chrisitan Watson and Romeo Doubs, with a potential third in 7th Round pick Samori Toure.

The Green Bay Packers already have one of the best running back duos in the league in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. On the offensive line, when healthy, this group can provide a reliable mix of pass protection and the ability to create holes for the run game.

However, there’s one massive hole on this team that has yet to be filled and it’s at the tight end. Aside from Robert Tonyan’s 15 minutes of fame, the Packers have absolutely zero playmakers in this position. With the future of Tonyan and veteran run-blocker Mercedes Lewis, there is no greater time to draft a player at this position than now.

Why the Green Bay Packers need to draft TE Michael Mayer

In 12 games played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2022, the 6’4″, 265-pound tight end caught 67 passes for 809 yards and 9 touchdowns, setting a new single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end. In combination with incredible hands, Mayer has remarkable game speed and route-running capabilities for a big man. To top it all off, he is a highly reliable blocker in both the run and the pass.

This is the kind of skillset and intangibles that you see in today’s prototypical superstar tight end in the NFL. George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and Travis Kelce are just a few of the names who have a similar profile as Mayer.

Having an elite tight end ensures that in the event the opposing defense locks down your top wideout, you’ll have a reliable target underneath. Perhaps it’s the epitome of wishful thinking, but a superstar tight end could be the piece that Aaron Rodgers has been needing to win a second Super Bowl. We all know how Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski have transcended the careers of Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, respectively. Mayer could have this same effect on Rodgers/Love.

Michael Mayer (pre-combine) is expected to be drafted somewhere between No. 10 and No. 20 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. If the Packers want to take a massive leap into next year, drafting Mayer to be the safety net for the team’s starting quarterback should be the biggest priority.

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