TE Robert Tonyan is on track to play week 1 for Packers

Packers fans should be very excited about this news. Top tight end Robert Tonyan is "on track" to play in Week 1 of the 2022 season for Green Bay when the Packers go on the road to face the Minnesota Vikings. This is big news because Tonyan tore his ACL in Week 8 last season against the Arizona Cardinals on a Thursday night after a 33-yard catch. 

The Indiana State alumnus is one of QB Aaron Rodgers' top targets. In 2020, Tonyan should've been named to the NFC's Pro Bowl roster. He led all tight ends in touchdown catches that year will 11. In 2019, 2020 and 2021 combined, he had no drops or fumbles. That is why he is such a reliable target for Rodgers. He is very sure-handed. In those last three seasons, Rodgers has had a passer rating of 120.4 when targeting No. 85, including a passer rating of 147.6 in 2020. Great things happen when the ball is thrown in the direction of Tonyan.

Tonyan's presence, like All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari's, was greatly missed in the team's early playoff exit against San Francisco. To have him back just in time for the start of the 2022 season is a real welcome sight. He will step back into his lead role as the No. 1 tight end as the best receiving tight end among that position group. The 17-year veteran Marcedes Lewis follows him but is more suited for run-blocking. (He is one of the best in the league at that.) Then third-year tight ends Josiah Deguara, Dominique Dafney and Tyler Davis follow as key role players on offense and on special teams.

It is very accurate to say that Tonyan is the best pass-catching tight end that the Green Bay Packers have had since Jermichael Finley. To likely get him back in the fold is fantastic news for head coach Matt LaFleur. Averaging 11.5 yards per reception is nothing to shake your head at, and best believe that the Packers will utilize him in the way they did before his knee injury. He will be a key target down the field for Rodgers, and this top 10 Packers offense also has arguably the best running back duo in the league in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, along with a quietly deep receiver corps.