The Green Bay Packers made a relatively quiet move when they traded a future seventh-round pick for Mark Redman at the end of August.
Redman’s impact is becoming harder to overlook.
Following Green Bay’s 31-7 win over the Chicago Bears, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich set loose an unconventional compliment about the 6-foot-5, 258-pound tight end and the mentality behind his blocking.
“He’s kind of messed up in the head,” Stenavich said, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
“You definitely need guys like him to run the offense.”
“He’s kind of messed up in the head.”
“He’s one of my favorite guys to see every day.”
Stenavich meant it in the most complimentary way possible. The Packers’ offensive coordinator described Redman as physical, intelligent and versatile, adding that Green Bay “definitely” needs players like him to operate its offense.
“He’s one of my favorite guys I see every day,” Stenavich said, via Packers.com.
Redman Giving Has Physicality Packers Wanted
Redman’s emergence suits exactly what the Packers believed when they acquired him from the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 30.
Green Bay sent Los Angeles a 2028 seventh-round pick for a player who had yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game. Redman was on the Rams’ practice squad following his signing as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville.
Head coach Matt LaFleur highlighted Redman’s “contact courage” after the trade.
“He’s going to stick his face in there,” LaFleur said, via Packers.com.
Redman was equally direct about the role he wanted.
“That’s what I’m coming here to do,” he said, adding that he wanted to “get dirty” and finish blocks.
Five games into the season, those traits are earning him a legitimate role. Redman has played 98 offensive snaps, accounting for 31.2% of Green Bay’s total, via Pro Football Reference.
He logged 21 offensive snaps in the win over Chicago, approximately 34% of the Packers’ plays.
Additionally, Redman has two catches for 29 yards this season, both coming against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 4. One went for 25 yards.
Packers Have Found a Role for Redman
Redman’s presence also advances LaFleur more freedom with Tucker Kraft and Jonnu Smith.
Kraft said last week that Green Bay plans to continue leaning into formations featuring multiple tight ends after seeing what those packages can produce in the passing game.
Redman provides a unique element within that group because of his ability to handle the dirty work at the line of scrimmage.
Stenavich had called Redman a “good point-of-attack guy” in September. A month later, the offensive coordinator appears even more sold.
So, in the end, the Packers took a small gamble when they surrendered a draft pick for a former undrafted tight end who was on a practice squad his rookie season.
Through five games, Redman seems at home in LaFleur’s offense.
And based on Stenavich’s colorful description, his willingness to seek out contact may be precisely why.
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