Five Packers who need to break out for a successful 2019 season
It’s going to be a tough road for the Green Bay Packers to get to the playoffs in the 2019 season. Who needs to break out for a successful year?
The Packers are set to begin their 101st season as a franchise as they travel to Chicago to play their oldest rivals to open the NFL’s 100th season. Green Bay has a lot of questions coming into the year.
How will Matt LaFleur’s offense get going? Can the defense improve in Mike Pettine’s second year? Can Aaron Rodgers return to what we’ve seen him do? All those questions lead to analysts and fans alike being cautiously optimistic about the 2019 season.
The Bears and Vikings are both primed for a playoff run, and the Lions should be better in year two under Matt Patricia. So how do the Packers keep pace? They need some players to have breakout seasons. Here are five players who could make the Packers’ season with a breakout year.
Jaire Alexander was very good in his rookie season, tallying one interception, 11 passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries. He was sticky in coverage and wasn’t afraid to come up and make big plays behind the line of scrimmage.
His best game of the year was against the Rams, where he made life difficult for Brandin Cooks. Alexander looks like a great pick, and he can make a jump to the elite tier in 2019. If he stays confident with his instincts and trusts his technique down the field, he will make the leap and be the cornerstone the Packers need in their secondary.
Everyone knows that Davante Adams will have a dynamite year if he stays healthy. So, who is the next man up? It needs to be Geronimo Allison. Allison started off the 2018 season very hot and was actually the leading receiver through three weeks.
He has great chemistry with Aaron Rodgers, and he showed it down the stretch in the 2016 season, finding openings in the defense when Rodgers scrambled. He also had a big catch in overtime against the Bengals in 2017. For Rodgers to have that bounce-back year, Allison needs to step up.
3. Kevin King
A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Kevin King brought a ton of tools to the table pre-draft. Entering his third season, King has only played in 15 games so far, which is an average of less than half the season.
If the Packers are to get better in the secondary, they need King to play a majority of the year. His size and quickness will be key to covering bigger and faster receivers. Think about a duo of Alexander and King for a whole season.
4. Aaron Jones
We know LaFleur wants to see more balance in this Green Bay offense, and it starts with a strong ground game. The offensive line looks beefed up this year after adding Billy Turner and Elgton Jenkins. They kept fullback Danny Vitale around along with tight end Marcedes Lewis.
All this screams more balance. Jones had 728 rushing yards in 2018, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Many believe Mike McCarthy didn’t use him enough, and the hope is LaFleur will get him more involved. A 1,000-yard season could ease the burden on Rodgers and make the Packers offense dangerous.
5. Rashan Gary/Za’Darius Smith
Green Bay needs to find more of a pass rush in 2019. It’s unlikely we see Kyler Fackrell put together another double-digit sack season, and now Clay Matthews is gone. They signed Za’Darius Smith in free agency, a guy who can line up on the outside and inside and wreak havoc. He had 8.5 sacks in 2018, and if the Packers get better on defense, I expect him to reach double-digit sacks in 2019.
Next. Top 30 moments in Green Bay Packers history. dark
Along the same line, rookie Rashan Gary has some insane athletic tools, he just needs to become a lot more refined. Imagine if we see him put it together in 2019. If so, the defense could be dangerous.