A certain level of decline was expected from the Green Bay Packers’ offense early on after they traded Davante Adams, the best wide receiver in football over the last two years. The defense has dominated most days during training camp, putting frequent pressure on Aaron Rodgers. However, the offense is still getting used to playing under a new style, so it’s best to offer them some leeway. Plus, there is more good news.
The unit is about to receive a boost in talent.
In the last two weeks, four important offensive players were activated from the physically unable to perform list and are allowed to practice again:
- Offensive linemen David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins
- Tight end Robert Tonyan
- And rookie wide receiver Christian Watson
The most significant impact will be on the offensive line. When Bakhtiari and Jenkins return from knee injuries, they will significantly elevate the unit’s ceiling. The starting line should have Bakhtiari at LT and Jenkins at RT, plus Jon Runyan Jr., Josh Myers, and Royce Newman in the interior. They will replace Yosh Nijman and Jake Hanson, two replacement-level players, with Pro Bowlers.
Those two changes alone can elevate the Packers’ offense in any scenario, especially considering how important the running game and time for the quarterback to throw will be this season with the rebuilt wide receiver room.
“They know how to play the game. They know what to expect when they go out there,” LaFleur said. “Just their ability to communicate and see things, their experience speaks for itself. So, I do think there’s going to be a ton of benefits when we can get them out there.”
The lack of high-end talent at the tackle spots was a significant factor for the Packers in the last two playoff runs. Without David Bakhtiari against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the coaching staff decided to keep Jenkins at LG, Billy Turner was the LT with Rick Wagner at RT.
Bakhtiari and Jenkins were both injured against the San Francisco 49ers last season. Turner played at LT again, a questionable decision after Nijman had been playing at a respectable level in the second half of the season. Veteran Dennis Kelly was the RT. Aaron Rodgers was heavily pressured in both elimination games and couldn’t play at his usual high level.
Receiving weapons
A theme of Packers preseason is how thin the roster is at tight end. Tyler Davis was considered an important depth piece, but he has been underwhelming and hindered more than he helped on the field.
- Davis had the lowest offensive grades by the Packers in both games so far.
- Marcedes Lewis is a good blocker but doesn’t offer much as a receiver at this point in his career.
- Josiah Deguara has been effective, but his role is much more like an h-back than a traditional Y tight end.
Insert Robert Tonyan, who is the best receiving tight end the Packers have had since Jermichael Finley. His physical capabilities and red-zone efficiency are extremely important for Green Bay, and he has a good connection with Rodgers.
Christian Watson is the other offensive weapon who is close to being ready. Nobody knows how the second-round pick will impact the offense yet, but it’s clear how much the management loves him.
“It feels amazing just to be able to go up against the defense and get some live reps,” Watson said. “It feels like it’s been a long time coming for me. It’s only been a few weeks, but I feel like it’s definitely been a long time coming, and I’ve been itching to get back out there.”
The Packers won’t have a single replacement for Davante Adams this year, and the receiving room is built in a way that several players will fit specific roles. While Watson develops into what the Packers hope he can be, the rookie receiver has the potential to be an immediate contributor as a deep threat. But he also can be a horizontal weapon thanks to his ability to execute end-arounds and fly sweeps, plus his capacity to generate yards after the catch.
In an offense that has lacked speed over the last few years, Watson and fellow rookie Romeo Doubs are the best alternatives to create separation.
It’s relatively normal that the defense has been better during training camp. And the offensive struggles are part of the process of reformulating how the team is going to play moving forward. But adding high-end talent is exactly what this offense needs to help Aaron Rodgers and maintain the productivity of the last two seasons, even if the way they do it might be very different.
