The Green Bay Packers announced on Tuesday that they have officially waived tight ends Luke Lachey and RJ Maryland with injury designations. These moves were expected, as Lachey ended up finishing Monday’s practice on a scooter and in a boot, and Maryland injured his hamstring prior to the practice. Neither was seen at Tuesday’s practice, following the signings of McCallan Castles and Drew Biber.
For the most part, the Packers have avoided major injuries, outside of the tight end position, in training
camp. Unfortunately, Tucker Kraft (ACL) and Luke Musgrave (neck) are banged up and out of team drills (Musgrave is still on the PUP list and has yet to practice). On top of that, the team initially signed a UDFA tight end alongside Maryland, Eni Falayi, but Falayi failed his physical upon reporting to camp. For perspective, Maryland signed with Green Bay for $15,000 guaranteed, and Falayi was offered a contract that would have paid him $125,000 had he cleared his physical.
Lachey also failed his physical when the Packers initially tried to claim him off waivers earlier this offseason (he had an unrelated hamstring issue), but was only re-signed once he was healthy.
So if you’re counting at home, that’s six injuries or failed physicals for five Green Bay tight ends. Less than great.
Over the last week, the Packers have signed three players at tight end: Castles, Biber and international exemption Thomas Yassmin. They worked out six players at the position last week, including the three that they’ve signed.
The current tight end room healthy enough to practice in team drills for Green Bay right now is:
- Josh Whyle (2025 practice squad call-up)
- Drake Dabney (2025 practice squadder, signed in Week 10)
- Messiah Swinson (2025 practice squadder, signed in the postseason)
- McCallan Castles (signed during camp)
- Drew Biber (signed during camp)
- Thomas Yassmin (signed during camp)
If the starters play in the preseason, you might get some names you don’t know playing premium tight end snaps for the first-team offense. Immediately, Castles, who was let go by Green Bay pre-draft, jumped in with the second-team offense on Tuesday. The Packers need all the help they can get at the position.
