Allen Looms Large Over Packers’ Unsettled Tight Ends

There’s a big opportunity at tight end following Tyler Davis’ knee injury. Austin Allen, who certainly is big, is in position to seize it.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Aug 15, 2023 10:37 AM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – At tight end following Tyler Davis’ torn ACL, Austin Allen isn’t just the next man up.

He’s the only man up.

For traditional, on-the-line tight ends, the Green Bay Packers are down to only three: second-round rookie Luke Musgrave, third-round rookie Tucker Kraft and Allen. Unless there’s a last-minute addition to the invite list, the Packers’ usual Tuesday workouts don’t include a tight end.

Obviously, the Packers could add a tight end next week or after final cuts later this month. But, for now, Allen is being given every opportunity to earn a spot on the 53.

“I look at it as training camp as a whole, whether Tyler’s here or Tyler’s not here, it’s an opportunity to be competitive,” Allen said while surrounded by reporters in the auxiliary locker room on Sunday.

“Whether that’s against Tyler or that’s against other guys in the room or whether it’s against the other 31 teams with all their tight ends, because every team’s watching this, I just view it as an opportunity. Every day is competitive, no matter how many reps I take. Whether my reps go from 10 to 20, every down, you’ve got to handle your own business because you’re really being competitive against yourself and every other tight end in this league.”

Austin Allen (Photo by Wm Glasheen/USA Today Sports Images)

Allen’s reps will go up by default. The only response from a roster perspective was moving receiver Dre Miller to tight end – the latest position switch for the former Maine receiver. More snaps mean more chances to show general manager Brian Gutekunst and the coaches that he’s worthy of a spot on the roster and a role on Sundays.

“It’s a crazy business,” Allen said. “This is an opportunity where you get more reps. I’ve just got to submerge myself in the opportunity to make myself better on a day in and day out basis.

“In terms of Tyler going down, it couldn’t happen to a worse person. He’s such a good teammate, such a positive role model for me to have in the tight end room. It’s evident that he loves the game in the way he plays and the way he handles himself. Just got to do what I can to handle my own business to maybe step into his shoes.”

As a senior at Nebraska in 2021, Allen was voted the Big Ten’s tight end of the year after catching 38 passes for 602 yards. Those numbers, along with a 143-yard performance at Wisconsin, are the most ever by a Nebraska tight end. At the 2022 Scouting Combine, he measured 6-foot-7 5/8.

Nonetheless, he went undrafted. Allen spent training camp and the start of the season on the Giants’ practice squad. He joined the Packers for the last week of the season.

Allen’s height makes him a welcome target in the passing game and a threat on special teams. He’s blocked two punts during training camp.

“Hopefully that’s something that can help propel me to make this team,” Allen said.

“It certainly helps being 6-8,” he continued, “but Coach Rich (Bisaccia), he has a great scheme and putting me right up the middle gives me the best opportunity to use my length and get an arm up, whether I’m getting blocked or not. If I’m getting blocked, still put an arm up. I blocked one of them by just using my length and sticking an arm up there.”

Standing 6-foot-8 is great for a receiver and an asset on special teams. It can be a challenge as a blocker, though, where the low man generally wins. Firing off the ball at full speed with the proper pad level has been his focus.

“It’s got a long ways to go still,” Allen said. “Me being only practice squad last year, didn’t really get the game reps against a lot of elite D-linemen, but the good thing with the Packers is we’ve got some elite edge rushers that’s helped me propel my game technique-wise.

“Taking a step day by day, learning from mistakes that happen in practices and the preseason, and it’s only a mistake if it happens twice. You’ve just got to learn. It’s a lesson when it happens one time. You learn from it and you move on. I feel like I’ve improved in the run game but I’ve got a lot of room to improve.”