Life without Jermichal Finley: Who will serve the Packers at the tight end position this season?

GREEN BAY (WITI) -- There's been plenty of focus on the Green Bay Packers' need to improve their defense -- and rightly so. But the offense needs to improve in the red zone, which takes us to the tight end position -- and quite possibly, life without Jermichael Finley.

When talented Packers tight end Jermichael Finley went down with a frightening injury against the Cleveland Browns last summer, the first concern was his well-being. Then came the realization that his career, at the very least, was in jeopardy.

The doctor who performed spinal fusion surgery has cleared the 27-year-old Texan, but not the Packers, or any other team.

"He looks pretty amazing, and he's worked his tail off. I've said it in the past -- this league is better with, with Jermichael in it and this team is better with him on it," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.

With or without Finley, the Packers think they have plenty to work with at the tight end position.

"I like our tight ends. I think that's a group that we've really got to get a lot of pad work. If you wanted to say 'what group has progressed?' You went 'okay, wow' in spring -- and that's such a tough group because they're asked to do so much," Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy said.

Andrew Quarless finished last season as the starter after Finley went down -- but he didn't practice during the off-season.

Newcomer Richard Rogers, the 6'4", 252-pound third round draft pick from California has turned heads since he took the field. His maturity on and off the gridiron belies his tender years.

"It's not really about making myself stand out. I just want to know my job and do my job to the best of my ability -- and that's exactly what I have to do. So if I make a mistake or something like that -- I have to let it go. I'm obviously going to do my best to not put myself in a position to make mistakes," Rogers said.

There are seven tight ends on the Packers' roster. Chances are, four will stick with the squad -- but this group is all about healthy competition.

"Yeah, definitely competition is always good. You know, like I said -- it brings out the best in everyone, so each day you have to come out there and do your best, and if you don't, your reps will diminish," Brandon Bostick said.

"We're pushing each other -- but trying to help each other because we're the ones, we spend the most time with each other, and so someone's obviously going to come out of here with the starting spot and is probably going to play the most, but you still want to get there and push them to the best of their ability," Jake Stoneburner said.

"Obviously the tight end room is wide open right now. We've got some really good guys, but I think it's a spot where everybody's got a shot to make an impact this year, and obviously that's something I'm looking to do," Ryan Taylor said.

The Packers will start to see what the tight end group has to offer in the first pre-season game on Saturday night, August 9th at Tennessee.