Green Bay Packers training camp begins today. The offseason is effectively over. With that, ESPN’s Matt Bowen ranked the top 50 moves up to this point, including not only free agent signings but also trades and draft picks. The top half of the list is littered with former Packers.
Ex-Green Bay Packers Find Favor on Top 50 List of Acquisitions
1. WR Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams, signed 2-year deal worth $44 million; Packer from 2014-21
Ranked first overall, Adams gives Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford a bona fide second option behind young stud Puka Nacua, after Cooper Kupp’s sharp decline over the past two seasons. In a weird year split between the Raiders and Jets, Adams still racked up over 1,000 yards last season and eight touchdowns. In addition to his on-field contributions, he is as good a mentor Nacua could have hoped for to replace Kupp in the receiver room.
Admiring Adams for his “ability to shake press coverage and separate,” Bowen also says, “Adams can isolate to win one-on-one or attack the schemed voids in [coach] Sean McVay’s pass game. With five straight seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards, he is at the top of this list because he can elevate a Rams team primed to make a run in the NFC playoffs.”
19. QB Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 year and $13.65 million, plus $500K incentive; Packer from 2005-22
Rodgers dragged out the drama of his eventual signing as long as humanly possible. No one was surprised when the Pittsburgh deal became official; it had been rumored for months as other suitors filled their own QB needs without waiting around for A-Rod.
Whereas Green Bay has the league’s youngest roster, the Steelers are the second-oldest with an average age near 27 – quite high for the NFL. Rodgers will turn 42 on December 2.
Bowen says, “Rodgers’ arm strength and field vision are still at a high level, which allows him to attack tighter windows and identify coverage rotations with ease.” He believes the future Hall of Famer will take the offense to higher levels than Russell Wilson did last year.
25. CB Jaire Alexander, Baltimore Ravens, 1 year and $4 million; Packer from 2018-24
Alexander’s release by the Packers was one of the hottest stories this offseason, culminating prolonged drama that had quieted before the sudden cut. Primarily, Green Bay dumped the oft-injured two-time Pro Bowler for salary reasons. Removing him from the payroll when the Packers did saved a substantial chunk of cash.
Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
Alexander joins a Ravens secondary that already features Marlon Humphrey and sophomore Nate Wiggins, a potential star. To have a major impact, he’ll have to play more than the seven games he logged each of the last two years in Green Bay. Healthy or not, Alexander gives Baltimore’s star-studded roster yet another big-name talent.
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