NFL: The Green Bay Packers went into the 2022 season with high expectations. Sure, Davante Adams was gone and they had three rookie wide receivers (and Sammy Watkins) to replace him, but the defense was stacked with first round talent and Aaron Rodgers was coming off of two consecutive NFL MVP seasons.
As we all know, the Packers failed to meet any of the expectations they had for themselves. Rodgers, fresh off of signing a three-year $150 million contract, did not show up in Green Bay until the start of training camp, refusing to spend any time with his new pass catchers. What followed was his worst season of his career. His 12 interceptions were his second-most in a season, trailing only the 13 he threw in his first season as a starter.
Additionally, Rodgers failed to throw for 300 yards in a game all season long, leading to a career-low 3,695 passing yards (injury-shortened seasons aside). CBS Sports analyst Adam Schein called this year’s Packers team “a debacle,” but it was last year’s team that was truly a mess.
Of course, it was not all Rodgers’ fault. It was a combination of bad luck, poor play, and injuries that created what Packers insider Mark Daniels referred to as “a mess” during his appearance on “The Mike Heller Show” on 97.3 The Game.
Green Bay Packers Insider Mark Daniels Refers to the 2022 Season as a Mess
During Mike Heller’s show on Wednesday, Mark Daniels called in from Cincinnati where he was watching the Packers’ joint practice session with the Bengals. Heller started out his interview by talking to Davis about how 2022 really wasn’t Rodgers’ best season. Daniels responded:
“No, it wasn’t his best for sure. Bum thumb and all, everything else going on. The young receivers. It was a mess!
“He wasn’t the only one who had a down year that had been productive for this team in the recent past. De’Vondre Campbell, that wasn’t First Team All Pro level play from him last year. He was a little nicked up. So there was a lot of that obviously.
“Again, neither here nor there. I mean, history has been written. It’s done. Let’s go.”
And the Packers certainly should be looking ahead after their disappointing season in 2022. Aside from Rodgers and Campbell, Darnell Savage continued to struggle, Dean Lowry was a non-factor on the defensive line, and it took head coach Matt LaFleur a couple of weeks to figure out the best starting offensive line.
Of course, the offensive line issue was complicated by David Bakhtiari only being able to play 11 games due to his recovering knee.
All of this being said, there is plenty to be excited about going into 2023. The rookie wide receivers are a year older and wiser, and have been spending the offseason working with their starting quarterback: Jordan Love. Bakhtiari is healthy for the first time in two years and Campbell revealed he is 100% healed from his injuries last season as well.
For Daniels’ reporting live from the joint practice with the Bengals, including commentary on Bakhtiari getting “the Big Dog treatment,” listen to the whole show linked above.
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