The Packers sign Kenny Fletcher Jr. at a time when depth, development and positional flexibility all matter, and the move gives Green Bay another young tight end to work with on the practice squad. Announced Tuesday by General Manager Brian Gutekunst, the transaction adds a player whose path to this point has already included a position change, multiple NFL stops and a short but notable college résumé.
Fletcher, a 6-3, 250-pound tight end, originally signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent on May 8. He was released after training camp, then spent the first month of the season on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad before landing in Green Bay. For the Packers, that kind of background matters because practice squads are often less about headlines and more about keeping a player in the building who has already seen different systems and learning environments.
From defensive end to tight end
Fletcher’s move to tight end before the 2024 season is one of the most interesting parts of his profile. Players who switch positions at the professional level are often still learning the details that turn raw size into functional value, and the Packers are betting that his frame and experience can make him useful in time. He wore No. 43 in his previous stops, another small detail that helps place him within a roster cycle that has already moved quickly.
His college production at Rutgers gives a clearer picture of the baseline. In 41 games with 16 starts, Fletcher finished with 46 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 8.1 yards per catch. That is not the profile of a finished product, but it does show a player who had real usage and enough game reps to provide a foundation.
For Green Bay, the move is modest in the short term and potentially useful in the long term. The practice squad is where teams keep developing players who may not be ready for a major role yet, and Fletcher fits that category. He arrives with NFL camp experience, practice squad time and a background that suggests there is still room for growth.
That does not guarantee anything beyond an opportunity. But for a roster move of this kind, opportunity is the point. The Packers sign Kenny Fletcher Jr. because he is still a player worth evaluating, and because depth charts are often built one small decision at a time.
