Packers 2017 Draft: Christian McCaffrey would be a difference maker on offense
While selecting a running back in the first round isn’t a popular idea among Green Bay Packers fans, Christian McCaffrey could be a difference maker if plugged into this offense.
Whether McCaffrey is available when the Packers hit the clock at No. 29 is a different question entirely, but if he is, Ted Thompson might struggle to pass up the opportunity of strengthening his offense.
When is Green Bay’s offense at its irresistible best? That would be when they go no-huddle, ramp up the tempo and allow Aaron Rodgers to make adjustments on the fly at the line of scrimmage. To work at an optimum level, the Packers need versatile playmakers who can stay on the field in a number of situations.
Ty Montgomery is a perfect example of this. Not only did he display good vision and patience in the backfield last year, but he’s a movable piece that is equally effective as a receiver as he is in the backfield.
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Montgomery can be utilized in multiple ways that stretch defenses and keep them permanently behind the eight ball.
McCaffrey offers many of the same skills, and he could form an excellent 1-2 punch in the backfield with the receiver-turned-running back.
Whether asked to run between-the-tackles, catch passes out of the backfield or even split out as a receiver, McCaffrey would make an instant impact in Mike McCarthy’s offense. He can even return kickoffs and punts; the Packers finished No. 24 and No. 14 in those areas respectively last year.
Pairing him with Montgomery would not only provide valuable depth at the position, but would also give Mike McCarthy yet another playmaker to exploit defenses.
Maybe Ted Thompson will opt for a thumper like Eddie Lacy was. LeGarrette Blount is still an option if he turns to free agency, and there a number of candidates in next month’s draft. Yet while we’ve seen the success Lacy had in Green Bay during the first two years of his career, finding a back who can effect all three downs like McCaffrey makes the most sense.
The Packers will never be a run-first team so long as Aaron Rodgers is the quarterback. This is a team that thrives when it can run the ball effectively as a complement to its dominance through the air.
More importantly, much of the Packers’ offensive success is built on run/pass option concepts. Ted Nguyen on Inside The Pylon detailed many of the ways Green Bay uses RPOs effectively in the video below.
Many of these RPO concepts are run plays with a post-snap option to pass if the defense reacts a certain way.
Like Montgomery, McCaffrey would fit perfectly into the Packers’ RPO concepts. His mental processing and ability to read defenders post-snap was evident at Stanford.
The Packers already added two movable chess pieces to their offense via free agency, tight ends Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks. Both can be used to block or split out as a receiver, giving the offense even more versatility than it had with Jared Cook last year.
If McCaffrey falls to No. 29 and Thompson makes an uncharacteristic move for a running back on day one, it will certainly be met with angst from the majority of Packers fans.
While the defensive concerns are justified, the draft is filled with talented edge rushers and cornerbacks, and many will be available on the draft’s second day.
Offense will again win or lose determine the Packers’ fate in 2017. If McCaffrey falls to the bottom of the first round, his fit in Green Bay’s offense might be too difficult for Thompson to pass up.
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