The Green Bay Packers started a youth movement on their roster after the 2021 season. After Davante Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, the team started the process of replacing him and other veterans with young players from the NFL Draft. In 2022, they drafted wide receivers Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure. They also added offensive lineman Zach Tom in the fourth round that year, who was their starting right tackle last season.
Of course, the biggest transition in the Packers’ youth movement came last season with the trade of Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. Jordan Love, who had been selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, took over. However, that was not the only notable move from veterans to younger players among Green Bay’s position groups.
With Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Marcedes Lewis, and Robert Tonyan being allowed to leave in free agency, the Packers drafted Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Grant Dubose, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft. Despite having the youngest offense in the NFL, Green Bay went 9-8 and clinched the final wild card spot in the NFC.
The Green Bay Packers Have Also Been Getting Younger on Defense
After the 2022 season, the Packers allowed safety Adrian Amos to leave in free agency. In his place, they re-signed Rudy Ford and signed free agent Jonathan Owens. They also had former first round pick Darnell Savage playing on his fifth-year option last season.
Now, all three of those players are gone, having been allowed to leave in free agency. Savage signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Owens signed with the Chicago Bears, and Ford remains unsigned.
In other words, the Packers will have a whole new safety room in 2024. Free agent Xavier McKinney, who is just 25 years old, was signed earlier this offseason. Additionally, the Packers drafted Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, and Kitan Oladapo.
McKinney, the veteran in the room after spending the last four years with the New York Giants, is most certainly the leader of the group. That being said, even though he is surrounded by a bunch of rookies at his position and very young players at cornerback, he still has the highest praise for them.
Xavier McKinney Says the Green Bay Packers Secondary Is the Best He Has Been a Part of in the NFL
When speaking with reporters after practice on Tuesday, McKinney was asked about which of his teammates in the secondary stood out to him. He responded:
“All of them. I like to say this is the best group that I’ve been a part of since I been in the league. And that’s from me to whoever the last person is. I think everybody has done a great job. The talent level in our room is out of this roof. It is going to be fun to play with these guys because everyone is smart.
“We all work off of each other and we’re able to build off each other and compete with each other and make each other better.”
While it is still preseason, hearing that the team’s safeties are going to be playing on a high level is certainly good to hear. It has been a while since Green Bay has boasted dominant play from two of its safeties.
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