Packers: Five players to watch in final two weeks of the season

In the final two weeks of the regular season, there are five Packers players in particular that I will be watching closely.

Although the Green Bay Packers‘ playoff hopes were ended against the Chicago Bears, there are still meaningful snaps to be taken.

Whether it’s putting a bow on a fantastic season or building towards a strong 2019, there is a great deal to watch.

Davante Adams

Adams will enter the final two weeks of the season within reach of two Green Bay Packers’ team records. The first is most catches in a season, held by Sterling Sharpe at 112. Next is most receiving yards in a season, which stands at 1,519 and is held by Jordy Nelson.

Heading into Week 16, Adams has 100 receptions and 1,315 yards. There is a good chance that Adams could break both records as the New York Jets secondary has given up the second most yards and receptions to receivers this season.

While in his first game against the Lions, Adams put up 140 yards on nine receptions.

Tyler Lancaster

The undrafted free agent has been one of the pleasant surprises for the Packers this season. Lancaster has seen his playing time increase over recent weeks with the injuries to Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark.

Lancaster has made three NFL starts and has recorded 12 total tackles over that time, as well as one tackle for loss. Against the Chicago Bears he clogged up the middle of the field and made six tackles in that game alone.

With his performance in recent weeks, Lancaster may have played his way onto the 2019 roster, but we will see if he can keep this level of play up for the final two weeks.

Josh Jones

Since his time at N.C. State, Jones has been known for his versatility on defense, yet it would appear that the Packers coaching staff is still trying to figure out the best way to utilize him.

A safety/linebacker hybrid, Jones does very well in run support and is known for his big hits on the ball carrier. However he struggles mightily in pass coverage, specifically at diagnosing the plays and he is often found out of position.

Through the first half of the season Jones rarely saw the field because the coaching staff didn’t have confidence in his ability as a safety. Jones has the athleticism and play-making potential to be a dynamic player but it remains to be seen where he will fit in moving forward.

Josh Jackson

There is no way to sugar coat that Josh Jackson has struggled in his rookie season. He’s missed a number of tackles and leads the Packers with eight penalties totaling 75 yards. Not known for his speed, Jackson is initially getting beat by the receiver and he becomes grabby, resulting in holding and pass interference penalties.

Jackson’s skill set as a cover corner is still raw as he started just one year at Iowa and played mostly zone coverage while he was there. But there isn’t anyone that you will find who will work harder than Jackson. In fact during rookie training camp, cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. said he has never seen a rookie watch so much film.

Hopefully Jackson can take advantage of Green Bay’s final two opponents and head into the offseason on a positive note as both of them rank in the bottom third of the league in total passing yards.

Jason Spriggs

Currently Bryan Bulaga is attempting to return to action coming off of an MCL tear against the Arizona Cardinals. However if he is unable to go, my eyes will be glued to Jason Spriggs at right tackle.

Spriggs has started the last two games and has done much better than anticipated but has still given up some big plays at inopportune times. Although in a few instances against the Bears he was set up for failure by being lined up in one-on-one situations against Khalil Mack.

Bulaga will be entering the final year of his contract in 2019 and the Packers need to know what they have in Jason Spriggs. Finishing up his third season in the NFL, it is now or never for Spriggs to perform and with four weeks as a starter, it will give GM Brian Gutekunst a better idea of the player he has.

There may not be any meaningful games left for the Green Bay Packers, but there is still plenty for us to keep our eyes on.