The Green Bay Packers used two first-round picks in April to pluck a pair of prospects from a dominant University of Georgia defense. The Packers have gotten a good look at linebacker Quay Walker, who has started every game this season and logged nearly 400 snaps. However, the same can’t be said for defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who has played only 14 percent of the snaps on defense this season.
Despite Wyatt’s sparing playing time as a rookie, the signs for a player with tremendous upside are there. Take Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example. Yes, it was only in seven snaps, but Wyatt was the team’s top-graded defender by Pro Football Focus, which included a near sack on Tom Brady.
Then again this past week, Wyatt came close to his first career sack, this time against Jared Goff using an impressive club-rip move.
I’m begging the #Packers to give Devonte Wyatt more snaps. pic.twitter.com/T4ql0hXju0
— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) November 8, 2022
These types of eyebrow-raising plays are not uncommon for Wyatt. They may not always result in a sack or tackle, but they do a good job demonstrating the talent of a first-round selection.
Usually, first-round picks have little trouble getting onto the field as a rookie, and Wyatt seemed to be one of the most pro-ready players in the draft at 24 years of age. However, he is lucky to see double-digit snaps in any given week.
Part of the reason is the team’s depth on the defensive line. Kenny Clark is an All-Pro talent and an every-down player. The team also added veteran Jarran Reed during the offseason to assist Clark with a bulk of the snaps.
But guys like Dean Lowry and TJ Slaton are seemingly stealing snaps from Wyatt’s plate. Green Bay has been hesitant to limit Lowry’s role after signing him to a three-year deal worth over $20 million in 2019. Lowry is an average pass rusher with a knack for getting pummeled in the run game and whose time with the team should end when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Slaton is in a similar predicament to Wyatt. The splash plays are scattered, but as a fifth-round pick, he doesn’t have Wyatt’s athleticism. Remember, Wyatt is the same guy who ran a 4.77 at the NFL Scouting Combine while measuring in at 6-3, 304 pouns. A guy his size shouldn’t move the way he does and should separate him from the other defensive lineman on Green Bay’s roster.
Devonte Wyatt starting to make the most of his limited snaps. pic.twitter.com/wh0lMeDzvc
— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) October 25, 2022
Perhaps the Packers’ reluctance to unleash Wyatt traces back to the summer. The rookie struggled during training camp before showing flashes in the preseason. Now those flashes are happening in meaningful games, but Wyatt is stuck at fifth on the depth chart in favor of guys with limited upside.
Sometimes, the best way for a young player to learn is to throw him into the water and let him sink or swim. In Wyatt’s case, he has outlasted the shallow end and is ready to paddle into deeper water.
