The Packers’ offense lacked its usual punch in 2019 and, so far, they have yet to add a playmaker this offseason. If the Packers aren’t able to address that need between now and September, head coach Matt LaFleur believes that he can make a difference from the sideline.
“It does start with the playcalling, maybe taking a few more chances to try to help generate those plays down the field,” said LaFleur (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky). “Typically, if you’re getting explosives, you’ve got a much better chance at scoring points.”
Last year, the Packers ranked 20th in explosive plays – passes of 20 yards or more and runs for at least ten yards. But, as Demovsky notes, it wasn’t the result of a conservative strategy. Aaron Rodgers had the league’s fifth-highest rate of pass attempts for 15+ yards and placed third in attempts for 20+ yards.
For now, the Packers are hoping that wide receiver Devin Funchess, second-round running back A.J. Dillon and third-round tight end Josiah Deguara will make a difference.
Here’s more out of Green Bay:
- After taking a pay cut in late May, Packers guard Lane Taylor will earn just $910K in base salary this year, according to Demovsky (on Twitter). He’s now set to count for $2.4MM against the cap in his final year under contract, saving the team roughly $3MM against the cap. The Packers now have about $14MM to spend, which could give them some room to add a playmaker for Rodgers.
- The extra cap room could also help the Packers lock up left tackle David Bakhtiari. In 2016, the Packers made Bakhtiari one of the five highest-paid tackles in the NFL with a four-year, $48MM extension. Now set to enter his final year, Bakhtiari’s value is tough to peg, as Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette writes. Bakhtiari, 29 in September, is one of the league’s best outside protectors, but he did regress slightly in 2019. Last year, he was flagged 12 times, his highest penalty total since 2015. For his part, Bakhtiari says that it was the product of adjusting to a new system. “The false starts are … I mean, that’s just unacceptable,” Bakhtiari said. “That just really comes down to thinking more about the concepts. Also just being new to a bunch of new things that are going on, So I’m taking my thought process away from the cadence. I think I kind of situated that and ironed that out.”
- The Packers inked rookie Jon Runyan Jr. late last week, officially bringing one of Bakhtiari’s new backups into the fold.
If you want a fast guy who can get distance from DBs downfield, Funchess won’t get the job done.
not like they can draft tyreek hill.
They could sign Taylor Gabriel, for pretty cheap. Then maybe find a guy looking for a new home, in a trade. Maybe sign Gabriel & trade for OJ Howard?
It’s that easy.
“The Packers now have about $14MM to spend, which could give them some room to add a playmaker for Rodgers.”
That would certainly be useful…If there were any playmakers available to sign! The receiver market is completely wiped out, while the only talented tight ends are either injury-prone (Reed) or decrepit (Walker)
Miiiiiiight be referring to this thing called the trade market. I read a new Kenny Stills to the Packers article about every other day.
They’d have more to spend if they weren’t paying so much for an overrated QB
Not every team can have an underpaid phenom like Mitchy Trubisky…
I lol’d…
And Rodgers is far from overrated…Try again, the dude is one of the best and most talented QBs the NFL has seen..
ANY and EVERY team would take on Rodgers at that salary except maybe Baltimore, Houston, and the Chiefs..
Seattle? Philly? Cardinals? Bucs? Saints? Rams? Possibly the bills, Bengals, cowboys?
Says you….Bravesfan88….Dude!
Same story every year for the Packers. Never drafting any offensive help. Wasting Rodgers career with hack players and hack head coaches like McCarthy. Trying to win with no defense and then no offense. Never putting together decent squads on both sides at the same time. Only saving grace is it couldn’t of happened to a better JERK like Rodgers.
Rodgers is a kiss ass anyway.
I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but that is about the last thing I’d label Rodgers as. If anything he’s a hard-headed curmudgeon…or the exact opposite of “kiss ass”
Should have signed Robby Anderson