Getty Tommy Stevens #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs looks to pass during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Before training camp kicks off next week, the Green Bay Packers will be taking one more look at some of the NFL’s still-available talent, including a versatile former college quarterback who could add a unique weapon to their roster.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Packers will be hosting Tommy Stevens, a second-year tight end and former New Orleans Saints draft pick, for a workout on Monday with their first camp practice set to begin two days later on July 28.
Stevens had been a quarterback at the college level prior to the Saints selecting him in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft. He spent his first four seasons (including a redshirt year) as a backup behind Christian Hackenberg and Trace McSorley before transferring to Mississippi State, where he played a more prominent role but had injuries slow him down.
Pelissero added two other players — veteran defensive back Rashard Robinson and second-year nose tackle Sterling Johnson — also have upcoming workouts in Green Bay, but he did not specify whether they would be there on the same day as Stevens.
The Packers would need to clear space on their 90-man offseason roster with a corresponding move before signing another player.
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Could Stevens Fulfill Gadget Role?
The Packers still have worries about their quarterback position with less than a week to go until the start of camp, but they are likely not looking at Stevens as someone who could join the fray and compete against Blake Bortles, Kurt Benkert and Jake Dolegala for a place on the QB depth chart. He could, however, earn some consideration for a gadget-type role similar to what the Packers had hoped John Lovett would give them in 2020.
Lovett was also a college quarterback who changed positions once he reached the pros, offering the versatility of being able to play H-back, fullback and tight end as needed. Initially, the Packers added him to their camp roster early last August and stashed him on their practice squad as an interesting developmental piece, but he earned a place on their active roster before September ended and emerged as a special teams asset.
Unfortunately, the Packers didn’t get to explore much of Lovett’s offensive potential. While he appeared in eight games, he carried the ball just three times for six yards and played a total of 45 offensive snaps before suffering a torn ACL in November and spending the rest of the year on injured reserve. Lovett was later released in March with a failed physical designation.
Had Lovett’s injury been less severe, the Packers might have given him another chance, but someone like Stevens — who is two inches taller and about 10 pounds heavier at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds — could make for a compelling sequel in 2021 if he displays enough versatility in his workout.