As long as Aaron Rodgers is their quarterback, the Green Bay Packers will remain in the Super Bowl conversation every season. The big problem for the Packers in recent years is that’s all it’s been; a conversation.
Green Bay has been a victim of its own success. Like the 1990s Miami Dolphins, they have an incredible quarterback that keeps them in the hunt, but also keeps them at the bottom of the draft order. Modern free agency can help some, but when you’ve got stars like Rodgers, they command big contracts and Aaron has another one coming up in a year or two.
Did Green Bay improve itself this offseason? Let’s take a look.
Free Agents Kept
Don Barclay, Offense Guard
Nick Perry, Outside Linebacker
Jay Elliott, Outside Linebacker
Free Agents Gained
Martellus Bennett, Tight End, formerly of the New England Patriots
Davon House, Cornerback, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jahri Evans, Offensive Guard, formerly of the New Orleans Saints
Free Agents Lost
Jared Cook, Tight End, signed with the Oakland Raiders
Micah Hyde, Safety, signed with the Buffalo Bills
Datone Jones, Outside Linebacker, signed with the Minnesota Vikings
Eddie Lacy, Running Back, signed with the Seattle Seahawks
T.J. Lang, Offensive Guard, signed with the Detroit Lions
Julius Peppers, Outside Linebacker, signed with the Carolina Panthers
J.C. Tretter, Center, signed with the Cleveland Browns
Christine Michael, Running Back, signed with the Indianapolis Colts
James Starks, Running Back, still a free agent
2017 NFL Draft
Round 2: Kevin King, Cornerback, Washington
Round 2: Josh Jones, Safety, N.C. State
Round 3: Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn
Round 4: Vince Biegel, Linebacker, Wisconsin
Round 4: Jamaal Williams, Running Back, BYU
Round 5: DeAngelo Yancey, Wide Receiver, Purdue
Round 5: Aaron Jones, Running Back, Texas El-Paso
Round 6: Kohi Amichia, Center, South Florida
Round 7: Devante Mays, Running Back, Utah State
Round 7: Malachi Dupree, Wide Receiver, LSU
Proposed Offensive Starters
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Ty Montgomery
WR: Jordy Nelson
WR: Randall Cobb
WR: Devante Adams
TE: Martellus Bennett
LT: David Bakhtiari
RT: Bryan Bulaga
LG: Lane Taylor
RG: Jahri Evans
C: Corey Linsley
Offensive Outlook
The Packers only bring in one new offensive lineman to what was already a decent, NFL-level unit. Jahri Evans. Evans has been blocking for Drew Brees his entire career, so he can hold a block. Can he hold and move a block while Aaron Rodgers scrambles around in the pocket like the rest of the Packers offensive line? He better learn.
At wide receiver, Devante Adams finally emerged as the offensive weapon he was supposed to be, catching 75 passes for 992 yards and 12 touchdowns. With Adams and Jordy Nelson on the outside, Randall Cobb can become more of a slot receiver, which fits him. He struggled with some injuries last season and only played in 13 games. The addition of Martellus Bennett at tight end to this offense cannot be understated. Bennett was a key cog in the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl run last season and, if anything, will be more valuable to Rodgers, especially late in the year.
The biggest question mark on the offense is one the Packers didn’t do a lot to address. Ty Montgomery opened last season as the No. 4 wide out on their depth chart. He finished the season as their starting running back and that’s where he’ll begin 2017. The Pack drafted three rookies, Jamaal Williams out of BYU, Aaron Jones out of Texas-El Paso and Devante Mays from Utah State . That constitutes their entire running back depth chart. That’s a lot of rookies to count on. Don’t be surprised to see Malachi Dupree and Geronimo Allison take plenty of snaps on offense with this group too.
Proposed Defensive Starters
DE: Kenny Clark
DT: Ricky Jean-Francois
DT: Mike Daniels
OLB: Nick Perry
OLB: Clay Matthews
ILB: Jake Ryan
ILB: Blake Martinez
CB: Damarious Randall
CB: Davon House
FS: Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix
SS: Morgan Burnett
Defensive Outlook
While the Packers didn’t spend a lot of money in free agency, they did make their strained budget count. Davon House should be a solid starter opposite Demarious Randall in the secondary. Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix has emerged as one of the best safeties in the game and Morgan Burnett is a tackling machine. He led the team with 91 tackles to go with his three sacks, one fumble recovery, nine passes defended and two picks.
Clay Matthews hasn’t been “Clay Matthews” in a while, but he’s still a leader and a solid starter the Packers would be fools to shuck. Keeping Nick Perry was a must as he, along with departed Julius Peppers, were the team’s best past rushers last season. Blake Martinez and Jake Ryan are just guys and neither started a full 16 games last season. The Packers really need improvement on the inside, but just brought in one linebacker in the draft, Vince Beigel out of Wisconsin.
With Kenny Clark plugged in as a starter, this is probably the best Packers front to take the field in a while. Mike Daniels is one of the better nose tackles in the league and should find his job a lot easier with Ricky Jean-Francois lining up next to him.
Grade: C+
This is still a strong Packers team and should have every confidence of competing for the NFC again in 2017. They just didn’t do anything to upgrade the team this off-season. They didn’t lose a lot either, except at running back. Hopefully one of these rookies will emerge like David Johnson did for the Arizona Cardinals two seasons ago and surprise us all.
O/U wins: 10.5
Preseason Schedule
Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 2: at Washington Redskins
Week 3: at Denver Broncos
Week 4: Los Angeles Rams
Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: Seattle Seahawks
Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons
Key game: The Packers’ season came to an end in Atlanta in the NFC Championship. Green Bay could signal an early change in the conference’s power dynamic with an early win at the Falcons’ house.
Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 4: Chicago Bears
Week 5: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 6: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 7: New Orleans Saints
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Detroit Lions
Week 10: at Chicago Bears
Week 11: Baltimore Ravens
Week 12: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 14: at Cleveland Browns
Week 15: at Carolina Panthers
Week 16: Minnesota Vikings
Week 17: at Detroit Lions
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