Report: Green Bay Packers looking to acquire elite pass catching tight end

The Green Bay Packers in Las Vegas Raiders may not be done as trade partners. According to a recent article courtesy of Cheesehead TV, the Packers are in hot pursuit of Raiders’ tight end, Darren Waller.

According to their sources within the league, Green Bay pushed heavily for Waller to be a part of the package that sent Davante Adams to Las Vegas earlier in the offseason. Unfortunately for the Packers, a league rule got in the way of acquiring the veteran tight end. Teams cannot trade additional players as compensation for a player currently on an unsigned franchise tag.

Waller started out his NFL career as a sixth-round pick back in the 2015 draft made by the Baltimore Ravens. Waller spent one year at wide receiver before he was converted into a tight end. After spending the majority of his time in Baltimore on the practice squad, he was picked up by the Raiders off the Ravens practice squad in 2018. Since then, the 30-year-old tight end has transformed himself into one of the best pass-catchers at the position. In 2020 he earned his first-ever Pro Bowl selection after recording 107 catches for 1196 yards and nine touchdowns.

Former Washington coach hired by Green Bay

A former Washington Huskies football coach was hired back to the NFL level by the Green Bay Packers, following his dismissal from Washington last year. Former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach John Donovan will serve as a senior offensive analyst for the Packers this year, his second NFL coaching position.

“Former Washington offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach John Donovan has been hired by the Green Bay Packers as a senior offensive analyst,” said On3’s Matt Zenitz. “Worked at Washington the last two seasons. Has also been an offensive coordinator at Penn State and Vanderbilt.”

Donovan joined the Huskies two seasons ago when Jimmy Lake took over the program as head coach, and has since been dismissed from Washington as Lake was fired last season. With his next coaching destination up in the air, it appears he has now landed at the NFL level with the Packers.

With Donovan as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Washington began the shortened 2020 season with a 3-1 record against Pac-12 opponents before it was cut short. Unfortunately, they only matched that same conference win total last year after finishing with a disappointing 4-8 overall record and a 3-6 conference record.