This off-season has been up and down for the Green Bay Packers. They were able to retain possibly their best defender of 2021 in MLB De’Vondre Campbell. Green Bay resigned arguably their best cornerback of 2021 in Rasul Douglas. Additionally they are returning a top 3 cornerback in the league for the 2022 season in Jaire Alexander. They added some defensive line depth to pair with Kenny Clark. A talent at DT that we haven’t seen (outside of Clark) since Mike Daniels was in town. The tight end who broke franchise records in 2020 was brought back on a one year deal (Robert Tonyan). Oh, and not to mention they were able to retain the 2x reigning MVP of the NFL Aaron Rodgers.
The “down” part of the off-season has been losing WR Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. They also lost a solid rotational offensive lineman in Lucas Patrick to the Chicago Bears. The two player they lost to Minnesota was Za’Darius Smith (who played in two games in 2021), and DB Chandon Sullivan. All in all this off-season so far has been about Green Bay keeping their defense stout, and waiting for the right move for their offense.
Adam Schefter was asked to share his thoughts on the state of the NFC North after all these moves. “Aaron Rodgers has got what – a couple of years left in Green Bay? Detroit, we don’t know who’s going to be their long-term quarterback right now. Chicago is waiting for Justin Fields to develop. The Division is not exactly the AFC West right now.” Schefter later said “There’s a real opening in this division.”
The King of the NFC North remains:
It seems as though some people need reminding that Aaron Rodgers has dominated this division well before Davante Adams and MVS were in the division. He will do it well after they leave. Here are some of his stats:
- Games played: 78
- Win/Loss: 56-21-1
- Win Percentage: .724% (That’s nearly 3 out of every 4)
- Pass Completions: 1,657
- Passing Attempts: 2,466
- Completion percentage: 67.2%
- Passing Yards: 19,407
- Passing Touchdowns: 169
- Interceptions: 25
- QBR: 109.5 (that’s REALLY good)
- NFC North Champion 8 times out of the last 12 years (since 2010)
Aaron Rodgers has consistently made players better around him. What Green Bay’s offense looks like right now is not nearly what it will look like in September. Veteran free agent moves or draft picks, Aaron Rodgers will have this offense humming in no time. Meanwhile, Minnesota has missed the playoffs two years in a row, signing a couple free agents while ignoring the worst part of their defense (the secondary) opens the window for them? This is the annual case of “Minnesota winning the off-season” while they fail to make the playoffs 9 months later.
As long as the boogey man is under center in Green Bay, the only “real opening” in the division Is the second place team fighting for a wild card spot.
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