PHOTO: Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting any younger, eventually he’ll give way to Jordan Love or perhaps another quarterback of the future. The wide receiver position is in a big state of flux heading into the this year’s training camp. The Special Teams, a disaster last season, are getting an overhaul with new coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst has watched this all unfold obviously and that’s why he along with Executive Vice President of Football Operations Russ Ball have poured a boatload of resources on player acquisition and significant compensation into the Green Bay defense. 2022 is when Packer management is looking for a significant return on investment.
Consider, this year’s Packer defense will welcome two more first round draft choices onto a unit that already starts five number ones. Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, Darnell Savage and Eric Stokes will be among the starting 11. Pro-Bowlers Clark and Alexander have earned substantial second contracts. Gutekunst signed four primary unrestricted free agents in his first season as GM, two remain in Preston Smith and Adrian Amos, both back on restructured deals. Gutekunst hit two home runs in free agency last year with De’Vondre Campbell, a first team All-Pro and Rasul Douglas, the interception game saving cornerback. When Davante Adams was dealt to the Raiders for a couple of draft picks and 20 million in cap savings, much of that money was given to Campbell and Douglas on new deals. The investing continued this past spring when Georgia Bulldogs Quay Walker and Davante Wyatt were added to the bunch. Needless to say, Gutey wants to see it all pay off.
The defensive line has more draft capital and a free agent to help bolster the depth of the unit led by Clark and steady vet Dean Lowry. Last year, T.J. Slaton was added in the draft, Wyatt and Jonathan Ford are from this year’s class. Former Seattle Seahawk and Kansas City Chief Jarran Reed is headed into his 7th NFL season. Jack Heflin is the hard working undrafted free agent hoping to stick again, trying to fend off first year pro Chris Slaton and rookies Akiel Byers and Hauati Pututau. Reed and Wyatt should offer instant help while Slaton and Ford bring bulk and rotational assistance to the front.
There are 10 inside linebackers on the roster heading into camp, a sign how valuable bigger players who can run might help on special teams. Campbell became the unquestioned leader of that group almost instantly last year. He now has a clone at his side in Walker, built remarkably similar to the lanky, long-armed veteran. Khrys Barnes will still get reps inside after flashing as an undrafted rookie two seasons ago. Ty Summers enters his 4th season and has had a hard time getting on the field outside of special teams. The hope is Isaiah McDuffie will make a push for snaps and Ray Wilborn is also back to compete. The only other backup with NFL experience is Kobe Jones. Rookie free agents Ellis Brooks, Caliph Brice and Chauncey Manac will help with camp numbers but their stay may be short.
On the edge, the Smith Brothers have been broken up but an adopted Smith is ready to step up. While Za’Darius Smith headed to the Vikings, Preston remained and when they were together, took Gary under their wings and helped him to a break-out season in 2021. Now Smith and Gary have assumed the lead roles in the pressure department. Off the remaining five outside linebackers, four have gotten on the field in the last couple of seasons but they’ll all need to develop consistency. Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton and Randy Ramsey have all flashed a play or two here and there but it will have to become much more frequent to give the top edge rushers a break. 5th round draft pick Kingsley Enagbare showed enough in the OTA’s and mini-camp to breathe on the neck of the vets in front of him on the depth chart.
The Packers believe they’ve all but cornered the market at cornerback. So many DB’s haven’t panned out since 2015 when Damarious Randall and Quiten Rollins went 1-2. Two years later they tried Kevin King and Josh Jones. Josh Jackson was a 2nd rounder, KaDar Hollman a 5th rounder that didn’t work out. But they kept swinging. Hitting big with Alexander and Stokes in round one and the addition of Douglas has solidified the perimeter on defense. Former Raider Keisean Nixon may have been signed with cover units a priority but he could enter the rotational mix with returners Kabian Ento and Shemar Jean-Charles. Raleigh Texada, Rico Gafford and Kieondre Thomas round out the camp competition.
The snap tandem total at safety continued to grow last year with Amos and Savage. They’ve had three years together which has helped to greatly reduce the explosive plays over the top of the defense. Now the focus has to shift to more splash plays made by them. Interceptions and forced fumbles will be stats worth watching from this pair. Vernon Scott, heading into year 3, needs to shake an injury bug to provide depth and he will be pushed hard by Shawn Davis, a first year pro who got a lot of reps with the first and second teams during the spring. Late round pick Tariq Carpenter has the perfect build to be a punt cover gunner. Innis Gaines and rookie Tre Sterling will make it 7 safeties in the room during camp.
Defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s enthusiastic approach was bought in by the unit last year, showing steady growth through the second half of the season. With just a couple of subtractions and a few more additions, expectations are understandably running pretty high for the high volume defensive investment portfolio assembled
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