3 positions Packers need to improve depth at before 2022 season
We all know that the Green Bay Packers have good quarterback depth with Jordan Love and Kurt Benkert backing up future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers.
The same is true at wide receiver, with guys like Cristian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Amari Rodgers, while it looks like the top three guys will be Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and newly-acquired Sammy Watkins.
It’s nice to have good depth in valuable positions.
With that being said, there are a few positions that the Packers should look at adding more depth to this offseason before training camp beings in late July.
Outside linebacker/Edge rushers
Behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, the Packers do not have a lot of options at rotational pieces for edge defenders. Green Bay was able to deal with this issue the last three years because of Za’Darius Smith being on the team. His presence allowed Rashan Gary to come in and play a rotational role on the defensive line.
Behind Gary and Preston Smith, the Packers have Jonathan Garvin, La’Darius Hamilton, and Tipa Galeai. They combined for 2.5 sacks and eight hits on the quarterback last year.
With this in mind, Gary finished the season with 9.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hits, nearly quadrupling the sacks of the Packers’ outside linebacker depth chart not named Preston Smith.
Green Bay did add a new piece to this rotation by drafting Kingsley Enagbare in the fifth round. But similarly to his new teammates, he is unproven and the Packers may want to test the free agent market to add a veteran to the outside linebacker room.
Tight ends
In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams have Tyler Higbee, the San Francisco 49ers have George Kittle, and the Detroit Lions have T.J. Hockenson.
Behind Packers star tight end Robert Tonyan, they do not have the depth to continue the production level if he were to go down with injury, like he did this past season with an ACL injury.
Prior to Tonyan’s Injury, he led all tight ends on the roster with 18 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Marcedes Lewis only finished with 214 receiving yards with zero touchdowns. Josiah Deguara finished the season with 245 yards and two touchdowns.
In half a season, Tonyan produced equal to what the two other TEs on the roster produced in a full season. Maybe it isn’t a lack of depth, but a lack of usage.
Something has to be changed with how the Packers look at the tight end position.
Safeties
While the secondary in Green Bay may be one of the best in the entire NFL this season, there are some holes behind the starters at some of the key positions in the defensive back room.
Who do the Packers have behind Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage?
If you do not know, I don’t blame you because they never play, which is a good thing. But what would happen if one of the starters suffered an injury? Would we feel comfortable with Shawn Davis and Vernon Scott holding down the back side of the defense?
This is not to say the depth behind Amos and Savage can’t play football at the highest level — clearly they can, they made it on a NFL roster. It just shows that the experience level drops off a cliff as you move down the safety depth chart.
This is not as big of an issue as the other two positions mentioned above, but it would be smart if Green Bay made a move to improve the safety depth chart.