Earlier this week, the NFL released its All-Decade Team, which featured Aaron Rodgers as one of the two quarterbacks on the offensive team. OTH Wisconsin has followed suit, but our focus is just on the Green Bay Packers. In this piece, we will name our Packers All-Decade Team, focusing on the offensive side of the ball.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, of course, makes this list as he has been the Packers’ starting quarterback for the majority of the decade. In addition, he was the lone Packers representative on the All-Decade Team for the NFL.
Rodgers had a great decade, second only to Tom Brady among quarterbacks. He started the decade by winning the Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP in 2010. In 2011, he won his first MVP Award while setting the NFL single-season record for passer rating with 122.5. He also threw for a career-best 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns that season. Rodgers won a second MVP in 2014 and led the league with 40 touchdown passes in 2016. In the ten NFL seasons of the 2010 decade, Rodgers was named to seven Pro Bowls and two All-Pro Teams.
Honorable Mention- Matt Flynn
Running Back
Eddie Lacy
The Packers began the decade with Ryan Grant, who had back-to-back 1,200 yard seasons in 2008 and 2009. Unfortunately, they found themselves in need of a running back entering 2013. Enter Eddie Lacy, the team’s second round draft pick in 2013. In his rookie season, Lacy ran for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl that year and followed it up with 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014.
The downside to Eddie Lacy had always been his weight, and in 2015 it really became a struggle. Lacy’s production dropped off significantly as he only rushed for 758 yards and three touchdowns in 2015. He only appeared in five games in 2016 before a failed stint with the Seahawks in 2017. While his production time in Green Bay was short-lived, he still ran for more yards than any other Packers’ running back during the decade. His rushing abilities in 2014 provided a great balance to MVP Aaron Rodgers’ passing attack as well.
Honorable Mention- Aaron Jones
Tight End
Jermichael Finley
Oh what could have been! Jermichael Finley was well on his way to being one of the best tight ends in Packers history before a neck injury ended his career. Unfortunately, the Packers were never able to replace Finley with productive tight ends and the position remains an area of need for the team going into 2020.
After helping the Packers win the Super Bowl in 2010, Finley put together back-to-back seasons that excited many Packers’ fans. In 2011, Finley had the best season of his career. He recorded 55 receptions for 767 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2012, he had 61 receptions for 667 yards and two touchdowns. Finley was well on his way to another great season in 2013 when he suffered his career ending injury in Week 7. He had 25 receptions, 300 yards, and three touchdowns at that point.
Honorable Mention- Richard Rodgers
Wide Receiver
Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams
Jordy Nelson
The great Jordy Nelson is one of the most popular Packers’ players in recent memory. An excellent sideline receiver, Jordy had four seasons of at least 1,200 yards receiving during the 2010s. He made the Pro Bowl in 2014 when he had 1,519 yards receiving to go with 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately for Jordy and the Packers, he missed the 2015 season due to tearing his ACL in a preseason game. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2016 when he had 1,257 yards receiving to go with a NFL-leading 14 touchdowns. After spending 2018 with the Oakland Raiders, Nelson signed a one-day contract to retire as a Green Bay Packer.
Randall Cobb
Randall Cobb, a fan-favorite for most of the decade, was drafted by the Packers in 2011. During his time with the Packers, Cobb made one Pro Bowl (2014) and became one of the best slot receivers in the NFL. In the 2014 season, he had 91 receptions for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns. He might be best-remembered for the 48-yard touchdown catch he had against the Bears to take the NFC North title in 2013. Cobb spent last season with Dallas, and signed a three-year contract with the Houston Texans this off-season.
Davante Adams
Davante Adams, the Packers’ current number one receiver, has emerged as one of the best wide outs in the entire league. He has made three straight Pro Bowls, including last season in which he missed four games, but still had 997 yards receiving. His best season was 2018, when he had 111 receptions for 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns. While he has just one 1,000 yard season in his career, it is important to note that he has had 997 yards in a season twice, including last year when he missed time. Adams is 27 years old and shows no signs of slowing down. It is highly possible that he could be on a Packers’ All-Decade Team for the 2020s as well.
Honorable Mention- Greg Jennings
Offensive Line
Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang, David Bakhtiari
Josh Sitton
Josh Sitton is one of the best and most durable offensive linemen in Packers’ history. Drafted by the Packers in 2008 and a member of the Super Bowl winning squad, Sitton made three Pro Bowls during his time in Green Bay. Starting in 2009, Sitton only missed two games for the rest of his career in the Green and Gold. He made one Pro Bowl as a right guard in 2012, but then switched to the left side in 2013. Sitton made two more Pro Bowls as a left guard in 2014 and 2015. He signed with the rival Bears in 2016, making one more Pro Bowl, before finishing his career in Miami in 2018. Like Jordy Nelson, he signed a one-day contract in order to retire as a member of the Packers.
T.J. Lang
T.J. Lang arrived in Green Bay the year before Bulaga and combined with him to form one of the best right-side duo in the NFL. He spent most of his time in Green Bay as a right tackles or right guard. However, he did play some left guard as well in 2011 and 2012. Lang made the Pro Bowl with the Packers in 2016, but the Packers declined to offer him a long-term deal after that season. He another Pro Bowl with Detroit in 2017, but only played in six games in 2018. Lang retired after the 2018 season.
David Bakhtiari
The old adage is that the most valuable lineman is the one who protects the quarterback’s blindside, and David Bakhtiari has made a career of protecting a future Hall of Famer. Drafted by the Packers in 2013, he is the only lineman on this list who is still on the team. Since coming to Green Bay, Bakhitari has missed a total of six games in six years. In addition, he has made two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team. 2020 is the last year of his current contract, and given the Packers’ history of letting linemen walk after six to seven years, it will be interesting to see if he returns in 2021.
Honorable Mention- Bryan Bulaga
Follow me on Twitter at @MrAdams88 and follow us @OTHWisconsin for more great content. Also, be sure to check out the Overtime Heroics Forums page to join in on the discussion. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
