We preview the 2022 Green Bay Packers as our NFC North preview concludes
We save the best for last. I thought it would be fun to look at the other teams in the NFC North, and what we can expect from them this upcoming season. With football less than a week away, we take a look at the best team in the division, the Green Bay Packers. You can read my Detroit Lions preview here and Minnesota Vikings preview here.
2021 Recap
Record: 13-4
vs Bears: 2-0
Memorable Moments: A strange way to lose in the playoffs, at home.
2022 Off-Season
Notable additions:
Wide Reciever Sammy Watkins (1 year, 1.85 Million)
Wide Reciever Christian Watson (NFL Draft)
Wide Reciever Romeo Doubs (NFL Draft)
Linebacker Quay Walker (NFL Draft)
Major Losses:
Wide Reciever Davante Adams (Traded to Las Vegas Raiders)
Wide Reciever Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Signed with Kansas City Chiefs)
Linebacker Za’Darius Smith (Released, signed with Minnesota Vikings)
2022 Preview
vs Bears – Week 2 @ Green Bay, Week 13 @ Chicago
The kings of the (NFC) north are once again favored to win the division and possibly come out of the NFC, but the Green Bay Packers of 2022 will be quite different from the teams we’ve seen since head coach Matt LaFleur took over in 2019.
While it was assumed that Quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be looking elsewhere after the season, it was Rodgers who signed an extension in the off-season, a 4-year, 200 million contract and it was his star Wide Reciever Davante Adams who was shipped off to the Las Vegas Raiders in a shocking move. Why are they still favored to be one of the best in the NFC still? Rodgers, of course, but they have the skill players to tune their offense with a strong defense behind them.
Green Bay Packers Offense
With Adams now out of the picture, the days of consistent 3-4 play-scoring drives are gone. Running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are currently the best players on the offensive side sans Rodgers, and I expect Matt LaFleur to use them in both the running and passing game.
Aaron Jones is coming off a 171 rush, 799-yard rushing season, also adding 52 receptions and 391 yards, with 10 total touchdowns. That’s a great duel-threat season, and those numbers should increase with more responsibility in the offense.
Green Bay’s bruiser, AJ Dillon, finished 2021 with 187 rushing attempts, 803 yards with 34 receptions, 313 yards, and 7 total touchdowns. NFL circles love Dillon and what he can show off in his 3rd season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if both backs finish with around 1,500 total yards and 10 touchdowns each.
On the outside, it feels more by committee with no bonafide #1 receiver on the roster. Allen Lazard should get the most opportunity to earn that #1 spot, but rookie receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs should both be on his heels. Watson is physically gifted at 6’5 while Doubs is no slouch himself at 6’2, and with more reps between them and Rodgers, they could be making a splash sooner rather than later.
Green Bay Packers 2022 Defense
Most of the defense is intact from 2021, with their 2022 draft additions Quay Walker and Devante Wyatt to give them flexibility in terms of defensive schemes. Walker specifically, has the speed and the strength at the Linebacker position to where he can be on the field in both their passing and running sets.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander leads their secondary, Rashan Gary and Gary Clark lead the linebackers, and Kenny Clark is the leader on the D-Line. This is an elite defense that has a great opportunity to finish in the top 5 if they have no major losses.
Outlook
Much to Bears fans’ dismay, their greatest rival is on-par to have another good season and should be in the mix in a wide-open NFC conference. Aaron Rodgers isn’t going anywhere for presumably the rest of his career, which gives him a couple of more chances to own the l̶i̶b̶s̶ Chicago.
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