The Green Bay Packers have a good tight end duo with Tucker Kraft, who will open the season as the starter, and Luke Musgrave, who brings more of a vertical element to the offense as a deep threat and a complementary piece. Still, Green Bay must maintain reliable depth at the position, especially given Musgrave’s struggles to stay healthy over the past two seasons.
Green Bay has four tight ends competing for the third-string spot: John FitzPatrick, Ben Sims, Johnny Lumpkin, and Messiah Swinson. All four saw the field in Green Bay’s 30-10 loss to the New York Jets in the preseason opener, with FitzPatrick leading the group with 19 offensive snaps. Kraft and Musgrave sat out in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, and Swinson led the way with 40 snaps.
Sims has made Green Bay’s final roster twice over the past two years. Meanwhile, FitzPatrick signed with the Packers off the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad last October. If the Packers stick with just three tight ends this season, the battle for the final spot will likely come down to Sims and FitzPatrick. FitzPatrick’s recent resurgence could give him a slight edge, but nothing is settled yet.
FitzPatrick started training camp strong, quickly becoming a reliable target for Malik Willis. He made several notable plays early in team periods and later showed his impact in the red zone.
“It’s just an easy corner route,” FitzPatrick said after practice. “Malik put the ball perfect and made a play. We just talked about getting your knee down if it’s even gonna be close, rather than trying to drag two feet. Maybe I didn’t need to slide, but made it happen.”
He edged out Sims in snaps toward the end of 2024, and that pattern has carried into 2025. While Sims and FitzPatrick have seen roughly equal time on special teams, FitzPatrick has received the bulk of first-team offensive snaps when opportunities arise. During Family Night, he outpaced Sims 11-2 with the starters.
Through the first two weeks of the preseason, FitzPatrick has played 38 offensive snaps and caught two passes on three targets for 26 yards. In the first quarter against the Colts, he did an excellent job finding space over the middle on a fourth-and-five while Willis scrambled, giving him a dependable target to keep the play alive.
“Honestly, just trying to take it day by day and not look too far into the future,” FitzPatrick told Sports Illustrated. “At the end of the day, just work hard every single day and, wherever the chips fall, I’ll see what happens. But I feel confident in myself, confident in my blocking ability and catching the ball. I definitely can help on Sundays.”
For FitzPatrick, further improving as a pass catcher will be key to his chances of making the final roster. He is a better blocker than Sims, who saw significantly more action in the passing game last year, playing 70 pass snaps compared to FitzPatrick’s 20. If he can pair his blocking ability with more consistent receiving, he could become a competent third-stringer.
The Packers have carried four tight ends on their active roster at points over the past five years, so there’s a scenario where both Sims and FitzPatrick make the final roster. Still, FitzPatrick’s resurgence has set the stage for an intriguing battle for the third-string spot heading into the final preseason game.