This is the Gridiron Review’s grading and breakdown series of every team’s offseason. This article is the Offseason in Review of the Green Bay Packers
Players Retained:
Offense: Kurt Benkert, QB; Robert Tonyan, TE
Defense: De’Vondre Campbell, ILB; Rasul Douglas, CB
Key Losses:
Offense: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR; Equanimeous St. Brown, WR; Lucas Patrick, OG; Billy Turner, OG; Dennis Kelly, OT
Defense: Tyler Lancaster, DL; Chauncey Rivers, DL; Za’Darius Smith, OLB; Oren Burks, ILB; Chandon Sullivan, CB; Isaac Yiadom, CB; Kevin King, CB; Henry Black, S
Specials: Corey Bojorquez, P
Key Free Agent Pick-ups:
Offense: Sammy Watkins, WR, Alize Mack, TE
Defense: Jarran Reed, DL; Chris Slayton, DL; Keisean Nixon, CB
Specials: Pat O’Donnell, P; Dominik Eberle
Trades(If Applicable):
Acquired 2022 1st and 2nd round pick in exchange for WR Davante Adams
Draft Class:
- Round 1, Pick No. 22: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
- Round 1, Pick No. 28: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
- Round 2, Pick No. 34: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
- Round 3, Pick No. 92: Sean Rhyan, OT, UCLA
- Round 4, Pick No. 132: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada
- Round 4, Pick No. 140: Zach Tom, C, Wake Forest
- Round 5, Pick No. 179: Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
- Round 7, Pick No. 228: Tariq Carpenter, LB, Georgia Tech
- Round 7, Pick No. 234: Jonathan Ford, DT, Miami
- Round 7, Pick No. 249: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
- Round 7, Pick No. 258: Samori Toure, WR, Nebraska
Our Offseason Grade: A great defense but what was the plan this offseason?
Record Prediction(Division Rank): 11-6(1st)
Summary:
What an offseason it has been for the Packers. It started after the brutal loss to the 49ers in the playoffs where the offense could not get going. Then, they traded Davante Adams right after Aaron Rodgers signed an extension and agreed to return. A questionable decision on both fronts as Adams was Rodgers most trusted target. They did get a good haul and were set up to replace Adams with one of the many first round receivers this year; except they did not. We feel as though the Packers had one of the worst off seasons in football so let us get into it.
At quarterback, the Packers bring back Aaron Rodgers as stated, and also neglected to trade Jordan Love, who now enters the third year of his rookie deal. He has barely played and while we believe in him, it is hard to gauge his progression when he has barely seen the field. It looks like a bad pick now, but if Rodgers retires in the next two seasons and Love takes over and is a pro bowler given all the time to develop, the Packers would have over 30 years of high level QB play. Until Love takes over, though, the pick looks more and more odd. Besides Love they also bring back Loki’s clone, Kurt Benkert to also back up Rodgers. The running back room returns with all the same faces and are led by the one-two punch of Jones and Dillon. The wide receiver room is getting a big overhaul. Adams was traded and MVS left via free agency. Allen Lazard is also holding out at the moment for what we assume is a new contract and honestly he has some leverage on the Packers front office. Bills legend Sammy Watkins was signed late in free agency, and Christian Watson was the first receiver drafted. While we like him as a prospect, the Packers should have traded up for one of the first rounders and maybe also taken Watson in the second. They also added Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure in the draft. The tight end room is another that is mostly staying the same. Tonyan, Deguara, Lewis, and Davis all are back with the only departure being draft bust Jace Sternberger. The offensive line lost some depth pieces but should still be a pretty strong starting group.
The defense for the Packers is what is going to keep them atop the division in our eyes, and should be one of the best in football. They re-signed major contributors from last season in De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas. They did lose a lot of depth pieces and Za’Darius Smith, but the emergence of Rashan Gary should ease that blow a little. In free agency they added Jarran Reed who could see meaningful snaps, but the biggest additions came in the draft. Green Bay ignored the wide receiver room in the first round and went with Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt. Walker we liked as a prospect, but linebacker was definitely not a top need for the Packers. Wyatt we were not as big on, and there are other tackles we liked more. I would have preferred they drafted a better pass rusher like Karlaftis or Johnson. They drafted a big sleeper in Kingsley Enagbare at edge rusher on day three. Regardless, the defense has a very good secondary, a great linebacker core, and a good enough defensive line that should bring them to another division title while the offense may falter.