The Green Bay Packers will open Year 4 under coach Matt LaFleur on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium against the rival Minnesota Vikings. Through three seasons, LaFleur has won 39 regular-season games and qualified for the postseason as the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NFC each year. But the Packers keep coming up short of the Super Bowl. Could this be the year?
Here is Packers Wire’s 2022 season preview:
Schedule
53-man roster
OFFENSE (25)
QB (2): Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love
RB (2): Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon
WR (7): Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Amari Rodgers, Samori Toure
TE (4): Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis
OL (10): Elgton Jenkins, David Bakhtiari, Josh Myers, Royce Newman, Jon Runyan, Yosh Nijman, Jake Hanson, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker
DEFENSE (25)
DL (6): Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed, TJ Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, Jonathan Ford
ILB (4): De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Krys Barnes, Isaiah McDuffie
OLB (5): Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, Kingsley Enagbare
CB (5): Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles
S (5): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Dallin Leavitt, Rudy Ford, Tariq Carpenter
SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
K: Mason Crosby
P: Pat O’Donnell
LS: Jack Coco
Practice squad
1. QB Danny Etling
2. RB Patrick Taylor
3. RB Tyler Goodson
4. WR Travis Fulgham
5. WR Juwann Winfree
6. TE Shaun Beyer
7. OL Caleb Jones
8. DL Jack Heflin
9. DL Chris Slayton
10. OLB La’Darius Hamilton
11. OLB Kobe Jones
12. ILB Ray Wilborn
13. CB Benjie Franklin
14. CB Kiondre Thomas
15. S Micah Abernathy
16. K Ramiz Ahmed
Notable veteran newcomers
DL Jarran Reed (No. 90): Former Seahawk and Chief who should be a full-time player along the Packers defensive line.
WR Sammy Watkins (No. 11): No. 4 overall pick in 2014 draft is attempting to stay healthy and revive his career in Green Bay.
P Pat O’Donnell (No. 16): Veteran punter who spent the last eight years in Chicago.
S Rudy Ford (No. 20): Potential special teams ace (especially as a gunner) arriving from Jacksonville.
S Dallin Leavitt (No. 6): Played for Rich Bisaccia in Las Vegas and should be a core special teamer.
CB Keisean Nixon (No. 25): The most likely No. 4 cornerback (especially in the slot) and another top special teams option.
2022 rookie class
All 11 draft picks made the Packers’ 53-man roster to start the 2022 season. The Packers also kept undrafted rookie Jack Coco on the team’s roster as the long snapper, and fellow undrafted rookies Tyler Goodson (RB) and Caleb Jones (OT) are on the practice squad.
Super Bowl worthy?
All that matters is getting back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the end of the 2010 season. Is this the team that gets it done? These four factors in the link below may determine the answer.
Important things to know
– The Packers replaced special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton with Rich Bisaccia, one of the most experienced and well-respected teachers of special teams in the NFL.
– Left tackle David Bakhtiari, offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, tight end Robert Tonyan and kicker Mason Crosby all avoided the PUP list and started the season on the 53-man roster. Only running back Kylin Hill began the year on the PUP list.
– The Packers have won six of the last seven season openers but were trounced 38-3 last year by the Saints in Jacksonville.
– The Packers have only two running backs on the 53-man roster, but both Patrick Taylor and Tyler Goodson are available for elevation from the practice squad, and Hill could be back on the roster after four weeks.
– The Packers play seven games against 2021 playoff teams.
– The Packers play the Giants in London in Week 5 and don’t have a bye until Week 14.
Preseason stars
The Packers were 1-2 in the preseason, but the standout performances during the exhibition schedule were many. Here are the stars of the 2022 preseason, featuring four players on the 53-man roster and three others on the practice squad:
Likely strengths
Rodgers, the NFL’s MVP in back-to-back years, is going into his fourth year leading this scheme for Matt LaFleur, giving the Packers the ultimate trump card. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon are one of the most versatile and talented running back tandems in football, and the offensive line – once healthy – could be one of the NFL’s best all-around units. Despite not having Davante Adams, the Packers have a lot to work with on offense.
The defense should be terrific rushing the quarterback and in coverage. There are elite players at each level of the defense and the group lacks an obvious weakness in the starting 11. It’s big, fast and physical, possessing all the trademark qualities of a Super Bowl-caliber defense. Rashan Gary is entering Year 4 as a legitimate All-Pro candidate.
Potential weaknesses
The offensive line has question marks until David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins return, and it’s unknown if the receivers can consistently beat good coverage for explosive plays. It’s also unknown if the defense has enough depth at important positions (edge rusher, cornerback, safety) to handle an injury or two. The special teams, a horror show last season, struggled during the preseason and must show real growth to even become an average group in 2022.
Best case, worst case, prediction
Best case: Rodgers keeps the offense moving, the defense becomes elite and the special teams get out of the way as the Packers win a fourth straight NFC North title, secure a high seed in the NFC playoffs and then run the table, avoiding the pitfalls of past failed playoff runs. With an elite quarterback and an elite defense, a Super Bowl is still well within reach.
Worst case: Rodgers and LaFleur aren’t able to hold off a regression on offense, the Packers struggle out of the gates against a tough schedule, injuries hamstring the defense and the playoffs aren’t a guarantee come the winter months.
Prediction: The Packers finishing 11-6 or 12-5 sounds about right. Getting to 13 wins again would require a fast start against a tough stretch. While not perfect, this is a team that should absolutely be playing postseason games in January. Once in the NFC playoff gauntlet, anything can happen.
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The Packers Wire
Zach Kruse, managing editor
Brandon Carwile, contributor
Paul Bretl, contributor
Brennen Rupp, contributor
