Packers Mailbag: What are the Packers' plans for offensive and defensive players who need to grow throughout the season
The bye week is over, and now the Green Bay Packers are preparing for a challenging second half of the season. The first step is against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Meanwhile, let's go here with a fan mailbag to discuss what the rest of the season could look like for the Packers. The offense […]
The bye week is over, and now the Green Bay Packers are preparing for a challenging second half of the season. The first step is against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Meanwhile, let's go here with a fan mailbag to discuss what the rest of the season could look like for the Packers.
The offense is fifth in DVOA, so I think we might be overblowing their level of play. The defense is 12th, so it's not bad either. However, in terms of full potential, the thing I circle back to is the lack of production from the first-round picks.
Look at how the last five first-round picks have played. Jordan Morgan is a backup (and deservedly so), Lukas Van Ness can't create pressure, Quay Walker is a negative and should be benched, Devonte Wyatt is good but not more than a situation player, and Eric Stokes has been benched on a position where the Packers were forced to move Keisean Nixon to outside corner.
The first round is the place where you realistically get blue-chip players. And if the Packers don't get them there, it's harder to build a team with a high ceiling.
No. Jordan Love is the quarterback of the future. Everyone will be gone before him.
I don't think the Packers have any reason to consider a split share between Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave, because Kraft has been the better player by a significant margin and is a better fit to Matt LaFleur's offense as the most natural blocker. But that doesn't mean Musgrave is not a useful player.
Last year, Musgrave was an impactful receiving weapon and he was even the best deep threat on the team when Christian Watson was hurt. So LaFleur can certainly use him in obvious passing situations and when the Packers need a big target over the middle.
Initially, I thought they would cut Chris Brooks to activate Lloyd from IR, but LaFleur likes Brooks too much for that. So far, and mostly because of his injuries, Lloyd hasn't shown anything to indicate the Packers have to make a huge effort to create a role for him.
My plan there would be to activate Lloyd, but keeping the other three running backs ahead of him on the depth chart. Maybe he will be even inactive early on. I'm not a big fan of developmental running backs, but in this case that's the most likely scenario. Eventually, if he develops quicker, he can overtake Emanuel Wilson's role.
I expect Kingsley Enagbare to be the starter opposite Rashan Gary, at least until Lukas Van Ness shows some signs of life. Enagbare has already been playing more snaps than Van Ness (even though it's a marginal difference), and the former fifth-rounder is the more productive pass rusher of the two. It's probably not what you would like to hear from your first-round pick, but that's the reality.
I think the Packers will have a heavier three-man rotation with Gary, Enagbare, and Van Ness, though, and they won't replace Preston Smith's snaps with Arron Mosby or Brenton Cox. However, Mosby will eat some snaps as a backup.
Absolutely. If one player is not performing at a good level, it's the player. But every Packers edge rusher is underperforming, so it's a bigger issue. The heavier defensive ends are not working in Jeff Hafley's scheme, and the four of them (Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and Kingsley Enagbare) have combined for fewer pressures than Jonathan Greenard alone for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers have two options. Either Jeff Hafley adapts the scheme or the Packers will have to look for lighter, bendier edges.
Over the next few games, yes, I do expect more snaps and targets for Christian Watson and fewer for Dontayvion Wicks. So far this season, both Watson and Wicks have played 48% of the offensive snaps, but while Wicks has 47 targets, Watson has only 27. Even with such a big difference in targets, they have the same number of catches (16), and Watson has more receiving yards (233 to 192). Watson is such a good blocker, too.
So while Wicks has his merits because of his ability to get open, he will lose ground because of the drops. If he can regain his confidence and effectiveness in fewer snaps, his role can get bigger again later in the season.
He has been the least productive edge rusher on the roster in terms of generating pressure. So, unless he takes a huge step forward with more volume, the opposite is true.
5 bold predictions for the Packers in the second half of the 2024 season
Green Bay needs four wins to virtually clinch a playoff spot
