Packers Positional Analysis

GREEN BAY PACKERS

POSITIONAL ANALYSIS

By: MAGGIE LONEY

QUARTERBACK:

Here’s a fun quote from the 2020 CheeseheadTV Draft Guide: Aaron Rodgers is still one of the most talented passers in the NFL, and remember that Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan won NFL MVP during his second year working with thenquarterbacks coach LaFleur in Atlanta. Expect Rodgers to take a similar leap in year two in LaFleur’s offense.

Rodgers did that and then some. The former two-time MVP won his third MVP honors in his second year in head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. He threw for 4,299 yards and a careerbest 48 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He also posted the best completion percentage of his starting career at 70.7 percent. What’s more, behind only his 2011 MVP season (122.5), Rodgers posted the second-highest quarterback rating in NFL history at 121.5. He also took the lowest number of sacks in his career (20).

Behind Rodgers, the Packers recently parted ways with longtime backup Tim Boyle, who signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency. Boyle should have the opportunity to push Jared Goff for the starting spot in Detroit. In 2021, 2020 first-round draft pick Jordan Love will be Rodgers’ backup and hopefully will have a full preseason to show Packers fans why the front office at 1265 Lombardi Ave. was so high on his talents.

Rodgers and Love are the only two quarterbacks currently on the roster, so expect Green Bay to bring at least one additional body in for training camp. The Packers typically carry at least one quarterback on the practice squad if only two are on the active roster.

RUNNING BACK:

It may have been the surprise of the offseason that the Packers were able to keep free-agent running back Aaron Jones in Green Bay. While it would have been tough for Jones to mirror his 2019 campaign with 19 total touchdowns, he enjoyed similar success in 2020, rushing for more than 1,000 yards for the second straight season and scoring 11 total touchdowns. Jones also averaged a whopping 5.5 yards per carry this season, surpassing his 2019 total of 4.6, and making his first Pro Bowl.

On the flip side of Jones’ return came Jamaal Williams’ departure. The fourth-round selection from the 2017 draft left for the Lions after finishing the season with 741 total yards, three touchdowns and an impressive catch percentage of 88.6 percent.

Taking over as RB2 will be second-round draft pick A.J. Dillon out of Boston College, who gave Packers fans a preview of the type of back he can be against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16 of the regular season. Against the Titans, he had 21 rushing attempts for 124 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his rookie campaign with 48 total touches and 263 yards from scrimmage.

Behind Jones and Dillon, the Packers will return Patrick Taylor, Mike Weber, and Dexter Williams. Tyler Ervin is an unrestricted free agent but could be back as a special teams contributor and gadget player for Green Bay’s offense.

WIDE RECEIVER:

In an absolutely dominant 2020 campaign, Davante Adams put up some career bests, setting a few franchise records in the process. Despite playing in only 14 games, Adams hauled in 18 touchdowns and 115 receptions, beating Sterling Sharpe’s previous record of 112. He finished the season with 1,374 receiving yards, a career-high 77.2 catch percentage, and a whopping 98.1 yards per game average. Adams also made his first All-Pro Team in 2020 and his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl.

With free agent acquisition Devin Funchess opting out of the 2020 season, Marquez Valdes-Scantling emerged as WR2 with 690 receiving yards, six touchdowns and a league-leading 20.9 yards per reception.

Allen Lazard looked on pace for a breakout season before suffering a core injury that kept him out six games, but the exclusive rights free agent will be back in Green Bay for the 2021 season. Fellow ERFA Malik Taylor also signed his tender, indicating he’ll be back with the team as well.

Funchess took a contract restructure to return to the Packers in 2021, so he’ll be competing with Equanimeous St. Brown (who caught his first career touchdown in 2020), Reggie Begelton, Chris Blair, and Juwann Winfree in training camp. Expect the Packers to also draft at least one wide receiver in this year’s class, as Adams (assuming an extension is coming soon) will be the only receiver under contract for the 2022 season.

TIGHT END:

It was a breakout year for Robert Tonyan, who hauled in 11 touchdowns, tying Travis Kelce for most in the NFL this season by a tight end (and tying the franchise touchdown record for a tight end set by Paul Coffman in 1983). While Tonyan entered the offseason as a restricted free agent, the Packers tendered him immediately, keeping him in green and gold for another season. His 586 receiving yards were good for third on the team, and he boasted an impressive 88.1 catch percentage, giving Rodgers another reliable weapon on offense.

“Big Dog” Marcedes Lewis also returned to the team on a twoyear deal, a priority re-sign for the Packers keeping one of Rodgers’ closest friends on the team. While Lewis doesn’t exactly explode off the stat sheet, he did have three touchdowns in 2020 (his highest total since 2017), and his role as a blocker is unmatched by anyone else in the tight ends room.

LaFleur loves the tight end position in his offense, and he has plenty of intriguing options on his roster behind Lewis and Tonyan. Former third-round draft pick Jace Sternberger will be back with Green Bay for his third season, and he’ll be looking to break out in the same way Tonyan did after some disappointing injury luck forced him to the bottom of the depth chart to close out the season. Fellow third-round draft pick one class later, Josiah Deguara, had a fun Week 1 before suffering an ACL tear and missing the rest of the season. He looked to have carved out a role for himself on offense before the injury, so it’ll be fun to see if he can pick up where he left off in more of an H-back role. Finally, there’s x-factor Dominique Dafney, who caught his first NFL touchdown in Week 17 against the Lions. He surpassed Sternberger on the depth chart to finish the season, leaving Sternberger a healthy scratch, so it’s clear the Packers like what they have in the rookie.

While it’s hard to see five tight ends on the roster in 2021, it’s also hard to see the Packers cutting any of the aforementioned players, as they all serve a different role on offense. Rounding out the position group are Bronson Kaufusi and Isaac Nauta, who are both viable practice squad candidates beyond training camp.

INTERIOR OFENSIVE LINE:

Of course, the biggest departure along the interior of the offensive line was first team All-Pro center Corey Linsley, who had his best season as a pro and got paid handsomely in free agency, joining the Los Angeles Chargers and becoming the NFL’s highest paid center.

It’s possible his replacement is already on the roster, as Elgton Jenkins and Lucas Patrick have both filled in at center previously, and former sixth-round draft pick Jake Hanson is a roster holdover. In just his second season, Jenkins has proven to be an invaluable piece of the Packers offense, making his first Pro Bowl and filling in at just about every spot along the offensive line at some point during the season. While he looks like an All-Pro in the making at left guard, it’s possible he’ll shift over and play center for the Packers or even jump out to either tackle spot like he did in spot duty in 2020.

There’s a lot of depth on the inside of the offensive line, with fellow sixth-round draft picks Jon Runyan Jr. and Simon Stepaniak also on the roster. Runyan Jr. played 160 snaps on offense for the Packers in 2020 at guard and could claim one of the starting spots next season if either Jenkins or Patrick shift to center. Guards Ben Braden and Zack Johnson are also on the roster.

The last question mark along the interior is Lane Taylor, who won the starting right guard spot out of training camp before suffering a season-ending injury Week 1 against the Vikings. While he remains an unrestricted free agent, it would make some sense for the Packers to bring him back if the team wanted veteran depth and experience at either guard spot.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE:

The Packers made David Bakhtiari the highest paid left tackle in NFL history (for however briefly) in-season, keeping him in Green Bay to protect the quarterback’s blindside through the 2024 season. It was arguably the team’s biggest roster move, and it happened before free agency even started. Unfortunately, the first team All-Pro and Pro Bowler suffered a freak ACL tear in practice to close out the regular season and missed the playoffs. His status to start the season also remains up in the air.

Billy Turner started 14 games for the Packers in 2020, taking snaps at right tackle, right guard and left tackle in Bakhtiari’s absence. Like Jenkins, Turner provided invaluable depth for the line given his ability to play just about every position outside of center.

The Packers released Rick Wagner prior to free agency, though he did start nine games for the team in 2020. Green Bay also brought in Jared Veldheer for depth during their playoff run, but Veldheer didn’t actually end up on the active roster for game day.

Expect tackle to be one of Green Bay’s top priorities in this year’s NFL draft, as only Bakhtiari, Turner, and Yosh Nijman are on the current roster at tackle, and Bakhtiari may be unable to start the season. The Packers also could look for another stopgap in free agency (like they did with Veldheer and Wagner previously) once the market dies down, but expect a draft pick to go toward finding the right tackle of the future either way.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

If you were concerned about depth at offensive tackle, it doesn’t get much better along the defensive line. Kenny Clark, Kingsley Keke, and Dean Lowry round out the starting three and are joined in the position room by Anthony Rush, Willington Previlon, and Delontae Scott (Rush being the only player who’s taken NFL snaps).

Clark signed a massive four-year contract extension for $70 million just before the season started, keeping him in Green Bay anchoring the defensive line for the long haul. Statistically, 2020 was a down year for Clark, as he posted only two sacks after back-to-back six-sack seasons, but he did double his total with 2.5 postseason sacks to close out the year. When Clark was injured for three games this season, he left a (literal) hole on the line, providing further evidence that Green Bay needs help along the defensive interior.

Keke looked promising in his sophomore season, posting four sacks and 12 pressures. Lowry contributed three sacks and 10 pressures himself, playing 59 percent of defensive snaps to Keke’s 40 percent.

Damon “Snacks” Harrison was a bigger in-season acquisition for the Packers, though he only played 12 regular season snaps on defense. He enters unrestricted free agency with Billy Winn, who played 4 percent of defensive snaps for the Packers in 2020. Green Bay also chose to move on from run-stuffer Tyler Lancaster, so he’ll enter free agency as well.

It can take a bit longer for defensive linemen to acclimate to the NFL, so it’s possible the Packers will look to add some veteran talent to the position group before or after the draft. Whether Green Bay brings in a vet, a draft pick, or both, the team definitely needs to bolster the position group with some run support heading into 2021.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER/EDGE:

There was a lot to be excited about heading into the 2020 season after the Smith Bros combined for 25.5 sacks in 2019. Za’Darius Smith followed his 13.5-sack performance with a 12.5-sack season in 2020, bringing his total to 26 sacks in his first two years with the Packers and setting a franchise record as the most by any player in their first two seasons with the team. He also made second team All-Pro and his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

Preston Smith had a quieter year, sliding from his 12-sack performance in 2019 to only four sacks in 2020, tied with Keke for third on the team. A bright spot, though, became secondyear pro Rashan Gary, who posted five sacks, 11 quarterback hits and 19 pressures this season. While there was speculation that Preston could end up a cap casualty as the Packers got under the salary cap before the new league year, both Smiths ended up restructuring their contracts to stay with the team. Preston worked with new defensive coordinator Joe Barry during his time in Washington, so it’s possible the new coordinator can help him get back to his 2019 form.

Za’Darius played 84 percent of defensive snaps, while Preston played 79 percent and Gary 44 percent. Like Za’Darius, Gary brought versatility to the edge rushing position with his ability to line up as a roaming nose over center or off the edge. Behind the starting trio are former seventh-round draft pick Jonathan Garvin, Randy Ramsey, and Tipa Galeai. All three played in at least one game for the Packers in 2020 and their varying skill sets make edge rusher one of the deepest positions on the roster.

INSIDE LINEBACKER:

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the season came at the inside linebacker position. The Packers signed Christian Kirksey to help mitigate the loss of Blake Martinez in free agency, but Kirksey had his fair share of struggles in the middle of the defense and missed five games to injury.

Undrafted rookie Krys Barnes shocked many when he got the start opposite Kirksey in Week 1 against the Vikings, and he impressed throughout the season. He played in 13 games for the Packers, starting 10, and finished second on the team in total tackles with 80.

Towards the end of the season, the Packers moved Kirksey to Will linebacker and gave communication duties to Barnes, which seemed to improve things for the defense. Promising fifth-round pick Kamal Martin also looked good in the 10 games he played, giving Packers fans plenty to be excited about if Barnes and Martin are the starters in the middle in 2021.

Green Bay released Kirksey after only one season, leaving the team with no real veteran presence on the inside. Former draft picks Oren Burks and Ty Summers both played over 70 percent of special teams snaps while playing minimally on defense in 2020. It remains to be seen whether either will make the roster out of training camp in 2021.

Behind Martin, Barnes, Burks, and Summers, the Packers have De’Jon Harris and Ray Wilborn in the room to compete for spots in camp. If Barnes or Martin get injured in camp, the Packers could make another addition prior to the start of the season to shore up the inside linebacker position just like they did in years previously with Antonio Morrison and B.J. Goodson.

CORNERBACK:

Jaire Alexander placed himself firmly in the conversation as one of the league’s best corners after an explosive 2020 campaign that saw him selected to his first Pro Bowl and earn second team All-Pro honors. Alexander was Pro Football Focus’ top-graded corner at 90.1, and he led the NFL with a whopping 13 games allowing 30 or fewer yards this past season. He also snagged two interceptions in the NFC Championship Game after not having a single pick since Week 1, but that’s what happens when you have your own private island that shuts down half the field, balls typically aren’t thrown your way.

While it looked like CB2 would be a question mark entering the draft, the Packers decided to bring back Kevin King on a one-year contract, one year removed from his five-interception 2019 season. The deal gives the Packers insurance on the boundary while also giving King an opportunity to get back to his 2019 form when he enters free agency again next season. King’s signing should in no way affect the draft, and with a loaded cornerback class, expect the Packers to draft at least one corner early, if not more.

Green Bay also brought back nickel corner Chandon Sullivan, who was a restricted free agent and returned his lone interception for a touchdown in 2020. Behind the starting three, there’s plenty of depth but much of it remains unproven. Josh Jackson and Ka’dar Hollman will be back along with Kabion Ento, Kei’Varae Russell, and Stanford Samuels. Add in a draft pick or two, and cornerback will definitely be a position to watch in training camp.

SAFETY:

Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage became one of the league’s best safety tandems in 2020, combining for six interceptions in the regular season. They also were PFF’s top-graded safeties from Weeks 9 to 17 and PFF’s top-graded safeties in coverage from Week 11 on (Savage at 88.5 and Amos at 84.7).

Amos started all 16 games for the Packers in 2020, playing 98 percent of defensive snaps. In addition to his two interceptions, he also had nine passes defensed, posted a career-high two sacks, and led the team in tackles with 83. Savage really emerged in the latter half of the season and had four interceptions, leading the defense. He also broke up 12 passes, which was good for second on the team behind only Alexander’s 13.

Behind Amos and Savage, the Packers parted ways with both Raven Greene and Will Redmond. Greene played in 10 games for the Packers in 2020 and had 1.5 sacks, 44 total tackles, one interception, and five passes defensed, playing 32 percent of defensive snaps. Redmond played in 13 games for Green Bay, playing 33 percent of defensive snaps and 55 percent of special teams snaps. That’s a big chunk of snaps that will be available for whoever steps in as the third safety in Joe Barry’s defense. Seventh-round draft pick Vernon Scott makes sense as a possible replacement, as he played in 15 games for the Packers in 2020 with no starts. The room is rounded out by Henry Black, who played in eight games and might be remembered for forcing a fumble against the Texans, and Innis Gaines, a rookie out of TCU.

KICKER/PUNTER/LONG SNAPPER:

In his 14th season with the Packers, kicker Mason Crosby had a statistical best, converting 100 percent of his field-goal attempts (16-for-16) with a long of 57 yards. He also made 93.7 percent of extra points and was perfect in the postseason. At 36 years old, Crosby is still finding new ways to impress as the second-longest tenured player on the roster behind only QB1. Kicker JJ Molson, a rookie out of UCLA, is also currently on the roster.

Punter JK Scott and long snapper Hunter Bradley have been together for three seasons now, with Scott averaging 45.5 yards per punt this season, the best in his career. Due to the Packers boasting the league’s number one offense, Scott wasn’t called upon nearly as much as in previous seasons, falling from 77 punts in 2019 to only 46 punts in 2020. However, Scott’s net punting average still ranked fourth-lowest in the NFL among punters who played in six or more games, so there’s plenty of room for improvement. Both Scott and Bradley have competition on the roster, with the Packers bringing in punter Ryan Winslow and long snapper Joe Fortunato to compete in camp.

With the Packers moving on from special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga, there’s plenty of room for the unit to improve under new coordinator Maurice Drayton. Consider Crosby the only real roster lock right now for the unit. Dynamic returner Tyler Ervin remains an unrestricted free agent, so Green Bay could have a new returner on kickoffs and punt returns in 2021, too.