Packers place unsuccessful waiver claim on TE Jordan Leggett
-- Could Brian Gutekunst not be content with his team's tight end position?
The Green Bay Packers' general manager reportedly placed an unsuccessful waiver claim on former New York Jets tight end Jordan Leggett, according to ESPN's Field Yates. Leggett was released by the team on Monday subsequently signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Packers were one of four teams who placed unsuccessful claims on him.
Leggett was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round in 2017 after his senior season at Clemson saw him earn first team All-ACC honors. He helped defeat Alabama in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, tallying seven catches for 95 yards.
After missing the entirety of his rookie season due to a lingering knee injury, Leggett saw his first action in 2018, playing in 15 games and accumulating 14 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers used a third-round pick on Texas A&M's Jace Sternberger in last month's draft, as well as picked up Jimmy Graham's roster bonus in March, indicating he'll be a part of the roster in 2019. They also re-signed Marcedes Lewis to a one-year deal, bringing their tight end count to six with Robert Tonyan, Evan Baylis and Davis Koppenhaver rounding out the group.
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (24)
Iowapackerfan
May 22, 2019 at 11:00 am
If I were Leggett I would have gone somewhere other than Green Bay, too. What are the chances of cracking that tight-end group? Slim at best.
Coldworld
May 22, 2019 at 11:12 am
It’s a waiver, He didn’t have a say. If a claim was submitted he goes to the worst team that put in a claim.
I really like Gute’s willingness to take any chance to upgrade. I don’t know whether Leggett would have been better than we have, but if there is a reasoned belief that he might be, go for it. Prefer that to TTs practice just retaining our own and trusting that they will improve.
IceBowl
May 22, 2019 at 11:34 am
Coldworld,
I agree. Competition at all positions, at all levels, all the time = your best team.
That is the NFL. (All pro sports actually)
jannesbjornson
May 22, 2019 at 01:22 pm
Improve or lose.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 22, 2019 at 06:08 pm
If Leggett was signed and if I was Tonyan I would immediately request a trade. Just sayin!
Beans And Cheese
May 25, 2019 at 08:04 pm
I would want to go and fight to play with Rodgers under the LaFleur regime. Go back and take a look at what he did with the Tennessee TE’s last year! They dominated when healthy!
sonomaca
May 22, 2019 at 11:20 am
Lewis didn’t participate OTA’s. Maybe injury issue there which prompted Leggett claim.
sonomaca
May 22, 2019 at 11:22 am
Josh Jones still here. Maybe can deal him for a TE.
stockholder
May 22, 2019 at 11:25 am
Gute wouldn't have had to put in a waiver claim on anyone, if he didn't trade up for Burks. Thomas was there. (TE Indiana) Thomas and sternberger would have been great together. Burks better start. Enough said.
kevgk
May 22, 2019 at 11:43 am
I like the Burks pick though, and I think TE has enough players.
Lare
May 22, 2019 at 11:33 am
Sternberger still refuses to sign his rookie contract. They probably went after Leggett as an insurance policy in case another TE gets hurt.
Have to give Gutekunst credit for continually trying to improve the roster.
stockholder
May 22, 2019 at 11:46 am
improving, Yes. Over thinking No. They brought in Sternberger. Theres no reason why theres a problem.
egbertsouse
May 22, 2019 at 01:02 pm
Why isn’t Sternberger signing? He’s a mid-round pick, you don’t usually get trouble from those guys.
Coldworld
May 22, 2019 at 01:22 pm
Not worrying about it till camp. He is present and practicing.
jannesbjornson
May 22, 2019 at 01:25 pm
He has a good agent it seems who can negotiate better terms.
TheVOR
May 22, 2019 at 04:29 pm
Signing Bonus, he's slotted, it can't be anything else!
Thegreatreynoldo
May 23, 2019 at 06:05 am
The 75th through 85th picks, inclusive, have not signed. [I got tired of checking at 85, and don't know if 86 through whatever have signed or not. The 74th pick, Devin Singletary, has signed, but the players taken 70th-73rd have not. I spot checked the 65th pick (Zach Allen), but he hasn't signed either.
So it appears to be a league-wide issue, and it has happened in other seasons. Probable issues include offsets, signing bonus/the 25% rule, and in the Packers' case, a desire to include workout bonuses in the out years. That becomes a problem with picks in the nineties and for 4th rounders but shouldn't be hard at pick #75 as far as I can see. Mind, few teams put in workout bonuses in rookie deals, so there aren't a lot of comparisons.
So I don't see too much to worry about. Of course, it could be a Russ Ball power play. Maybe he didn't like the pick and/or is trying to sabotage Gute so he can ascend to the GM's chair! [I need an Austin Powers gif of something.]
IceBowl
May 22, 2019 at 02:03 pm
I just checked. Only 10 3rd round picks have signed.
Only 9 2nd round picks haven't signed.
Only 2 4th round picks haven't signed.
This is hearsay because I can't find the article, but I read something that said due to something in the CBA, 3rd round picks have some negotiability issues.
I will look further though.
Thegreatreynoldo
May 23, 2019 at 07:53 am
Pro football rumors has a tracker, but they haven't updated it for signings yet. Last year on May 31, 55 players still hadn't signed their contracts.
Voids for suspensions, offsets, and how much of the signing bonus is deferred and for how long are the usual issues.
IceBowl
May 23, 2019 at 09:18 am
"@RobDemovsky
Part of the reason Packers TE Jace Sternberber hasn't signed yet.
Brady Henderson
✔
@BradyHenderson
As someone in the agent industry has explained to me before, rookie deals for 3rd-rounders can be tricky b/c there's more room for negotiating compared to other rounds. Not sure if that's the case w/ Barton but could be a reason why he and several other 3rd-rounders are unsigned. "
Also "Spotrac" has a draft tracker that looks up to date.
Since'61
May 22, 2019 at 03:55 pm
MLF May have wanted Gute to try for Leggert. He loves his TEs. Or there are possible injury concerns with Graham or Lewis. Or Gute took a shot at improving the position group.
In any case it was worth a shot. Good to see that our GM does not sit still when an opportunity to improve the team presents itself. Thanks, Since ‘61
jannesbjornson
May 24, 2019 at 12:45 am
Leggett would move Tonyan out. The rest are pure TEs coming out of college.
wildbill
May 22, 2019 at 07:17 pm
Maybe he is very good at blocking or special teams. Lewis is up in age and none of our other three tight ends are known as a great blocker.
chaka
May 24, 2019 at 09:18 pm
Packers should see if they can get Colt Lyerla.