The Facts: The Packers have tendered popular WR Jake Kumerow for 2019, a source said. The exclusive rights free agent should have a good shot at the 53 again.
Diehards Line:Last season was technically Kumerow's fourth in the NFL, but because he’d never played in a regular-season game — he spent two years on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad, followed by a 2017 season that saw him bounce around after being cut by the Bengals, eventually landing on the Packers’ practice squad for the final week of the season — he was technically a first-year player in 2018. But Kumerow more than earned his shot last season with a strong offseason and training camp, one which caught Aaron Rodgers’ attention before a shoulder injury landed Kumerow on injured reserve for much of the year. When he was finally activated for the final four games, Kumerow played 136 snaps and finished with eight receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown — a 49-yarder from Rodgers in the Packers’ Dec. 23 overtime win over the New York Jets. Kumerow now hopes to parlay that late-season success into a more prominent role in 2019. Veteran receiver Randall Cobb headed to free agency, and the team’s three rookie receivers — Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown and J’Mon Moore — had their moments but certainly still have more to prove, especially in a new offense under new coach Matt LaFleur.