Welcome to the weekly Zone Coverage Packers mailbag, where I try to answer all your burning NFL and Green Bay Packers-related questions, submitted via Twitter to @m_widmeier.
With the latest injury on the offensive line to Billy Turner, is it reasonable to expect Green Bay to still get by?
No team has suffered more injuries to starters on the offensive line this year than Green Bay. They entered the season without All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, so they were already down a man. Then starting rookie center Josh Myers was put on injured reserve in October after getting hurt against the Chicago Bears. Elgton Jenkins would later tear his ACL against the Minnesota Vikings. Now Billy Turner who went down on Sunday night.
That’s four projected starters absent from the group responsible for protecting Aaron Rodgers.
They’ve been able to juggle and mix-and-match around the injuries so far. Even though Turner is a tremendous player, I expect the Packers to figure it out.
They’re about as thin as an offensive line group can be, depth-wise, but the return of Bakhtiari at some point will help — if he does come back. As for Turner, the words head coach Matt LaFleur used seemed optimistic for a return this year.
Dennis Kelly filled in admirably at right tackle once Turner went down against Chicago and didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure. The old adage goes that there’s only so much one team can overcome. Green Bay should’ve reached the breaking point a long time ago, but they’ve yet to do so. Turner will certainly be missed while he’s out, but there’s nothing that would indicate this will turn into a disaster scenario for the Packers.
How does Maurice Drayton still have a job?
Green Bay’s special teams have performed about as poorly as possible in a single game.
- They gave up multiple kick returns that went for more than 40 yards
- Gave up an onside kick to Chicago
- Watched a 97-yard punt return get taken back to the house
- Had a muffed punt bailed out by a bad penalty that went against the Bears
- And had a muffed kick return at their own five-yard line that went out of bounds.
Did I miss anything?
LaFleur said Green Bay absolutely won’t be considering replacing special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton. It makes sense if only because an in-season move likely wouldn’t solve the problems right now.
On one hand, getting rid of Drayton probably wouldn’t make things worse. The special teams have been flat-out awful for most of the season. What’s most concerning is that it’s not just one area; it’s across the board. LaFleur is going to ride it out with his guys, which could prove to be a fatal decision.
Packers fans are now on edge wondering if Drayton and the special teams will be the reason this team drops a game in the playoffs. Whether it’s the kicking game, the coverage units, or the return units, it’s all been dreadful. If not for Corey Bojorquez bombing punts, they would be disastrous at every single facet of their game.
Drayton has a job because LaFleur knows there’s no magic potion in fixing this. The head coach now has fingerprints on this whole fiasco now knowing that, had he fired Drayton after the Bears game, nobody would’ve blamed him. Instead, he’s rolling the dice on Drayton and that unit figuring it out. Good luck with that.
Rodgers said on Pat McAfee’s show that he’s enjoying playing ball when asked if he’s enjoying playing for the Packers. Do you believe he’s gone after this year?
If the Packers were to win the Super Bowl, Rodgers could view it one of two ways. Either it’s a perfect bow on this chapter and he can demand the trade in the offseason, or he can look around and recognize he won’t have a better chance at winning anywhere else. If Green Bay comes up short in their quest this year, it makes it easier for him to wiggle his way out.
I don’t put much stock in what he said on McAfee because he also noted how good the dialogues have been with general manager Brian Gutekunst. One thing is for sure, Rodgers knows he holds all the power right now, and it’s a spot he relishes.
At the end of this year, if Rodgers threatens to sit out or retire if he’s not traded and Green Bay caves in, Davante Adams is likely gone as well. Adams is set to be a free agent, and the Packers would be hard-pressed to franchise tag him and have it make any sense. If Rodgers opts to come back, expect Adams and others to do the same. Rodgers is undoubtedly the domino that could tip over a lot of others along the way.
For now, just enjoy the ride of this season. Cross that next bridge when you come to it.
