6 Green Bay Packers in Line for Increased Roles in 2015
The Green Bay Packers are definitely a draft-and-develop team. It has been that way ever since general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy formed a partnership in 2006.
The proof is in the pudding.
Since 2006, the Packers have gone 94-49-1 in the regular season and also won five NFC North titles. In the postseason, the team has gone 7-6, which includes a win in Super Bowl XLV.
Thompson has primarily built the Packers roster through the draft over that time. He is also apt to sign a number of "street" free agents.
Only rarely does Thompson sign a premium free agent, and that is usually done after the player is released by his previous team. Some examples are Charles Woodson (released by the Raiders) and Julius Peppers (released by the Bears).
Both of those acquisitions turned into gold for Thompson and the Packers.
But the bulk of the roster is built through the draft. Players are expected to get coached up and really start to blossom in their second and third years in the organization.
There are also rookies who play great right out of the gate. A prime example is running back Eddie Lacy, who was named the 2013 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
In 2014, center Corey Linsley and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix both made the PFWA All-Rookie team.
Both Linsley and Clinton-Dix will play even better in their second years, just as Lacy did in his second year in 2014. That's just the way it works in Green Bay.
Here are six Packers who can be expected to step up their play in 2015. It goes without saying that their roles with the team will increase over the upcoming season.
Cornerback Casey Hayward
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In his rookie season, cornerback Casey Hayward made the 2012 PFWA All-Rookie team. The second-round draft pick started seven games as a rookie and had 53 tackles, a whopping 21 passes defensed and six picks.
Hayward played both on the outside and also as the slot cornerback at times, especially after Charles Woodson was injured.
In 2013, his season was basically a washout. Because of hamstring issues, Hayward played in just three games before ending up on injured reserve.
Hayward bounced back in 2014, as he played in all 16 games. He had 42 tackles, seven passes defensed and three interceptions, including one for a touchdown. Hayward normally played the slot corner position last year.
But now with the free-agency defections of both Tramon Williams and Davon House, Hayward has to step up his play.
Hayward wasn't drafted in the second round just to be a slot corner. Now he needs to be primarily an outside corner opposite Sam Shields.
I expect Hayward to do a good job in this role. No. 29 has always been been very instinctive in finding the football, both in college (15 picks) and the pros.
I see that happening again in 2015.
Cornerback Micah Hyde
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Micah Hyde is another player who will see his playing time increase in the secondary in 2015, even though he has gotten quite a bit of action over the past two years.
Hyde has started 15 games over the past two years, primarily playing slot corner and also seeing some time at safety. Now it looks like he is the next man up to be the full-time slot corner for the Packers in 2015, as Hayward moves outside to play corner.
Hyde played in all 32 games in 2013 and 2014 and had 86 tackles, nine passes defended and two interceptions.
Hyde is also perhaps the best tackler in the secondary.
In addition, unless the Packers pick a return specialist in the 2015 NFL draft, Hyde will be the primary punt returner and perhaps also the main kickoff returner for the team.
Linebacker Sam Barrington
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Inside linebacker Sam Barrington is a good example of a player who really took a big step forward in his second year with the Packers.
Head coach Mike McCarthy talked about No. 58 when he addressed the media at the recent NFL Scouting Combine.
"I really like the steps that Sam Barrington made. I thought he made a huge jump. And that's what you look for. He's a second-year player that needed to take a big step, and Sam did that."
Indeed he did. In his rookie year, Barrington played only on special teams and had just two tackles in seven games before he went on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.
In 2014, Barrington got his opportunity. The Packers were ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing defense after Week 9. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers decided to make some changes at inside linebacker to help improve that obvious weakness.
One thing Capers did was move outside linebacker Clay Matthews inside on running downs, while also using Barrington much more often, as he basically replaced veteran A.J. Hawk.
Barrington ended up starting seven games and had 53 tackles and one sack. He was a big reason why the Packers improved their ability to stop the run dramatically over the second half of the season. In fact, the Packers moved up nine spots to 23rd in rush defense by the end of the year.
Barrington's role will increase for the Packers in 2015, as he is expected to be one of the starters at inside linebacker for the full season. While the Packers may still use Matthews some on the inside, the likely starter opposite Barrington will come from the 2015 NFL draft.
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Tight End Richard Rodgers
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By the end of the 2014 season, rookie tight end Richard Rodgers was getting more and more playing time. I expect that to continue in 2015.
As it was, Rodgers started five games and had 20 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season, as well as five more receptions for 48 yards and another touchdown in the postseason.
Rodgers immediately showed the Packers that he may have the best hands on the team at the OTAs, minicamp and training camp. Rodgers seemed to catch everything thrown in his direction.
That attribute was pretty much evident during the course of the regular season and the playoffs.
The main reason why Rodgers saw his playing time decrease at times was due to his lack of blocking prowess. Rodgers' blocking got better as the season wound down, which led to more opportunities in the passing game. In fact, Rodgers had 13 of his 20 total receptions and both his touchdown catches starting in Week 10.
While Rodgers will never be a threat racing down the seam as a tight end, his great size and and great hands will get him a number of passes from a different Rodgers (Aaron).
The key for Rodgers in getting more increased playing time in 2015 will be his ability to block more effectively. If he does, expect a big year from No. 89.
Wide Receiver Davante Adams
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Wide receiver Davante Adams had a very nice rookie year in Green Bay. No. 17 had 38 catches for 446 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season, plus eight receptions for 124 more yards and another score in the playoffs.
Expect his role to increase, even with the re-signing of fellow wide receiver Randall Cobb. While Cobb and Jordy Nelson will continue to be the respective No. 1 and No. 2 options for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Adams will also get more opportunities in 2015.
You could see that Rodgers and Adams were on the same page much more often as the 2014 season progressed. A case in point was the Week 13 game against the New England Patriots, who may have had the best secondary in the NFL in 2014.
The Patriots were trying to limit the opportunities for both Nelson or Cobb, so No. 12 looked to Adams quite often in that game. Adams had a great game too, ending up with six catches for 121 yards.
No. 17 had a similar game in the postseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, where he had seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Adams will get more and more chances to shine in 2015, as opponents will focus more on Nelson and Cobb, seeing as the two combined for 189 catches for 2,806 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2014.
I expect Adams to possibly double his numbers from last season when it's all said and done.
Defensive End Datone Jones
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Defensive end Datone Jones was a first-round draft pick for the Packers in 2013. You wouldn't know it, based on his statistics in his first two years in the NFL.
In his rookie season, Jones was hampered by an ankle injury all season long and ended up with just 10 tackles and 3.5 sacks. In 2014, Jones started three games, plus had 21 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception.
Expect his numbers to improve in 2015. Jones is simply too talented to be a non-factor defensively. Plus, as mentioned previously, young players seem to improve with another year under their belts in Green Bay.
Another thing which would help Jones and the overall defense as a whole, at least in stopping the run, would be the return of nose tackle B.J. Raji, who is an unrestricted free agent.
On passing downs, Jones can be a factor as well, especially if Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Mike Daniels, Mike Neal, Nick Perry and Company can pressure the quarterback.
The bottom line is that the Packers are going to give Jones every opportunity to prove himself in 2015.
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