I expect him to be Rodgers' safety valve, and he should be an absolute terror in the slot this year. His numbers should really jump this year. Don't be surprised if he's the most improved player on our offense next year.
8. DT Justin Harrell
Many people already have Justin Harrell labeled as a bust. If they looked deeper, they would see that most defensive lineman take a year or two to develop. We saw Broderick Bunkley stink it up during his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles. He then took a huge step forward in his sophomore campaign.
Harrell definitely had an uphill climb; recovering from the major bicep injury he suffered while at Tennessee. We knew that when we took him. He has the tools to be an elite, run-stuffing defensive tackle, and he showed flashes of brilliance towards the end of the season.
As his reps increased, he even led all of our defensive lineman in tackles per snap. He hasn't gotten off to a good start this year, missing all of the OTAs and all of the minicamps. But he should be ready to go when training camp rolls around.
He will be relied upon a whole lot more than last year with the loss of Corey Williams. He really needs to stay healthy because we need him in our rotation. He should spell Jolly on third downs, and line up next to either Cullen Jenkins or Ryan Pickett, and with Jolly slated to return sometime during training camp, he can grab the starting spot if he shows what he can do on a consistent level.
Starter or not, he's going to see a lot of snaps this year. A healthy Harrell makes our run defense that much stronger, which is vital when you face Adrian Peterson twice a year.
Harrell's impact may not show up on the statline, but his presence will definitely be felt, and I expect him to show why he's not a bust, and why Ted Thompson shocked the world when he took him 16th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Other breakout candidates: TE Tory Humphrey, DE Mike Montgomery, S Aaron Rouse
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