Paul Bretl | 10/18/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — With tight end Luke Musgrave being placed on injured reserve late last week, the Packers needed to bolster their tight end depth on the 53-man roster and did so by plucking John FitzPatrick off of the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad.
“I like it a lot,” said FitzPatrick at his locker on Thursday. “Ben, Tuck, Beck and Messiah, we’re having a great time and with J.D. (John Dunn), he sets a good standard for the room and what he wants us to be at every single day, has us prepared. So I’m enjoying my time in the room.
FitzPatrick was on the practice field last Friday for the first time, but obviously was inactive for the Packers’ Week 6 game with the Arizona Cardinals having just arrived and still trying to get somewhat acclimated to his new team and a new playbook–one that, by Matt LaFleur’s own account, is quite robust.
Like several other members of this Packers team, FitzPatrick played his college ball at Georgia, which has helped with the transition. FitzPatrick, Quay Walker, and Javon Bullard all sit close to each other in team meetings.
An imposing figure at 6-7 – 250 pounds, FitzPatrick was often asked to be a blocker when on the field for the offense. During his final season in 2021, FitzPatrick ranked third out of 80 eligible tight ends in PFF’s run-blocking grade metric. The season before that, he ranked third as well.
“I think Georgia a big thing is if you’re willing to block, you’re going to find your way onto the field, and that’s what I learned early from some older guys in the room,” said FitzPatrick. “From there, just really honed in on that and wanted to get on the field, obviously, so I honed in on that and it created some opportunities for me.
“I’m never going to say I’m great at blocking or it’s my strong suit. I’m working on it every single day. There’s always something you can be better at within a block, specifically, or just any type of block.”
Although FitzPatrick wasn’t asked to impact the passing game often in college, that doesn’t mean that he won’t have the ability to with the Packers. In his final two seasons at Georgia, FitzPatrick caught 16-of-30 passes for 178 yards, which included averaging 13.8 yards per catch in 2021. He also scored one touchdown.
What FitzPatrick brings to the Packers team is someone with a well-rounded skill-set who has he gets accustomed to the Packers playbook, will provide a steady presence when called upon.
“A guy that can do it all,” said college teammate Javon Bullard. “A guy that is not afraid to stick his face in the run game. A guy that is reliable in the passing game. Just a guy that is going to do his job to the best of his ability. A guy that you can count on for minimal mistakes. A guy that doesn’t make too many mistakes.”
FitzPatrick was a sixth-round selection by the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 and has spent his entire career there up until this point. He hadn’t played any regular season snaps in 2024, but played 18 on offense in 2023, along with 83 snaps on special teams, most of which came on the kick return and punt coverage units.
Although in that 2022 draft it didn’t work out, the Packers did have interest in FitzPatrick at that time during the pre-draft process, having him in for an official 30 visit.
“When I was here two years ago, I think it was a different facility but some similar people,” FitzPatrick said. “I had met with coach Dunn and some of the other people here. I just remember going around the facility meeting new people – players not so much because I think it was April or May when I came.”
If FitzPatrick is called upon this Sunday, he said he’s ready for whatever role the coaches ask him to fill. Similarly to Ben Sims, who was a late addition to the team in 2023, FitzPatrick is likely learning the playbook on a weekly basis based on what the specific gameplan calls for, rather than diving into the entire thing at once.
In the early going, FitzPatrick may be asked to fill a role similar to Andrew Beck, who had been elevated from the practice squad for the last two weeks, with Musgrave not playing. Against Arizona, Beck played seven snaps on offense, five of which came as a blocker, along with another five snaps on special teams.
However, as FitzPatrick gets more comfortable with the offense and what he’s being asked to do, early impressions from the practice field are that he could take on a larger role as he progresses.
“He looked good,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich. “Very intelligent guy in the meeting room. But he runs well, he catches well. I think it’s only going to be a matter of time before he gets a bigger role in our offense for sure.”