Do we have a bad, good, or great roster in 2023?
Posted: 18 Jun 2023 15:14
I wanted to do an amateur, non-expert review of the roster for the 2023 Packers to see how much I feel like we’re either truly a “rebuilding” team or something with some very real talent. So, please excuse the length of this post.
Guys who can carry their squad or create game-changing plays. Difference makers.
1. Nixon. I get excited every time this guy touches the ball. He is a genuine threat like nothing the Packers have had in a long time. And now, he could potentially play some significant snaps as the slot CB too! It’s a contract year for him, being on a one-year deal. I really think another year on our still improving STs and his knack for making plays on the D will turn him into a bona fide star, or pretty close to it.
2. Jones. I have been one of the guys who pointed out the number of times that Aaron Jones has fumbled at the wrong time. But the fact is that he simply has ways to be faster than the D, find the weak spots, and scratch out the extra yards once he is hit. And he’s turned into a team leader now too. He will be the heart of our offense this year. And he has the talent to back that up.
3. Watson. We will soon find out if Watson is learning his route running well enough. He needs that to compliment his speed. I think he will be a steady part of our offense either way. But there’s no limit to what he should be able to do. Defenses will have to account for him every time he’s on the field. But he’s more than a Corey Bradford. He can legitimately score every time he gets the ball.
4. Love. To be clear, he has a lot to prove - like everything. But I think his composure and MLF’s ability to wean him from backup to starter is going to be tremendous. Yeah, it’s still all about potential. But by November, I think we will be confident that he is a starting caliber QB. Maybe sooner. I think he will be able to produce at least a modest amount of offense. The question is whether he will fall prey to defenders who create turnovers or not.
5. Alexander. He hasn’t been making a lot of turnovers. But his skills are diverse and very dependable. If he can also snag a few INTs and/or do an occasional blitz, I think he will still ascend as a player. No doubt, he’s one of the best cover guys already.
6. Gary. Health will be the big question for him this year. But he’s already proven that he gets a LOT of pressure on opposing QBs and he’s pretty good versus the run. We want him to return quickly and get back to 100% because he is truly a difference maker.
7. Van Ness. Yes, potential. He hasn’t stepped onto a NFL field with pads yet. And he’ll likely be given spoonfuls to begin. But if he can translate his abilities into real production, it won’t take long to make him one of those guys that OLines must also account for on every play.
8. Musgrave. The combination of size, speed, and savvy that this guy will show is going to be exceptional. If he merely catches 30 passes this year as a rookie, that’ll be enough to make him a guy that we can depend on more as the season progresses.
Steady, positive contributors.
1. Doubs. A lot of people are singing very high praises for Doubs, including MLF. If they haven’t over-stated what he can do in his second year, he could clearly become what Gregg Jennings used to be for us, a guy who effectively works the middle of the field, moving the chains with regularity, and occasionally gets open deep for a TD. In short, dependable and effective. A great compliment for Watson (and vice versa).
2. Carlson. Maybe being a rookie kicker is the hardest position of all. But they are saying he shows an explosive leg. If he can perform well on FGs and truly make touchbacks, that’ll lengthen the field for the opposing offenses. We just can’t say enough about how important that is. Again, until he shows it in games, it is all potential at this point. But there are realistic high hopes.
3. Bahktiari. This guy is All Pro for a reason. Now, he just needs to stay healthy. If he does, we can’t say enough about how his opposing defenders will NOT have their names mentioned much on game day.
4. Campbell. Seemed like he digressed just a bit last year from his impressive Packer debut. But what he has proven is that he can cover a very wide range. He is a dependable tackler. And he just seems to know where to be at the right time.
5. Clark. He is a true star at his position. He might well play better than he did last year, when he was limited by injuries. And if one other DLineman steps up more than Dean Lowry ever did (I’m thinking it’s a very real possibility this year), Clark will be able to dominate. His greatest contribution might be pressure on the QB from the center of the LOS. But maybe he starts to play more snaps at End as well.
6. Deguara. He isn’t fast or agile. He’s ordinary in so many ways. But I think he will get more opportunities this year than ever. MLF will design his offense to utilize all of the TEs more than last year. Too many people compare him to Richard Rogers. But I think he is more than that; truly a Swiss Army knife kind of guy for his position.
7. Dillon. I like Dillon a lot. He’s so strong and has lots of talent. But I think his main thing is that he fits the scheme of our offense so well. And that’ll become a bigger deal as the season progresses again. With a new QB, perhaps Dillon gets more snaps than ever. And we’ll see if Quadzilla can continue to wear down defenses.
8. Douglas. Granted, I think that Rasul gave up more big plays last year than should be. But that might’ve been coaching as much as his propensity to gamble for big plays. Even so, he is a ball hawk. And he will make a few game changing plays along the way. Meanwhile, he is still a good (not great) cover guy.
9. Jenkins. If Elgton can get his regular LG snaps, in contrast to last year, I think he reverts to form and plays fantastic ball. Nuf sed about that.
10. Smith. I’ve always appreciated Preston. He isn’t great at this point. But he is still an effective pass rusher. And he is superb at holding the edge against the run.
High potential.
1. Walker. Quay is fast. But it seemed clear that there was a lot on his plate as a rookie. I think this year, his 2nd, he will play faster. And we’re gonna like what we see from him.
2. Reed. Yeah, another rookie. And he might not even start in the slot in September, due to Toure. But early reports indicate that he is a great match for our slot position and can help on the outside too. Just a guy who is very savvy and should pick up the speed and design of the game quickly.
3. Slaton. A lot of man in Slaton and a lot of talent. Does he take a step up this year? I hope so. That’ll help Clark a great deal and it’ll help the DLine rotation tremendously. It’s time that we had two all stars on our DLine and I think that Slaton can do that. (If Wyatt gets more snaps and also performs very well, that’s fine with me and I’d be thrilled.)
I didn’t put many OLinemen here, but I think that Tom also helps our OLine tremendously. His diversity will fill gaps if/when there are injuries. Otherwise, we have young guys who look able to step up. Same in other positions.
I really think two things are true about this team.
1. This roster has a LOT of natural ability. It also has more speed than in the past.
2. This roster has a LOT to prove. It might look like a rebuilding team in September and October. But I really think that by mid season, this is going to be a playoff-looking team, even through growing pains.
Guys who can carry their squad or create game-changing plays. Difference makers.
1. Nixon. I get excited every time this guy touches the ball. He is a genuine threat like nothing the Packers have had in a long time. And now, he could potentially play some significant snaps as the slot CB too! It’s a contract year for him, being on a one-year deal. I really think another year on our still improving STs and his knack for making plays on the D will turn him into a bona fide star, or pretty close to it.
2. Jones. I have been one of the guys who pointed out the number of times that Aaron Jones has fumbled at the wrong time. But the fact is that he simply has ways to be faster than the D, find the weak spots, and scratch out the extra yards once he is hit. And he’s turned into a team leader now too. He will be the heart of our offense this year. And he has the talent to back that up.
3. Watson. We will soon find out if Watson is learning his route running well enough. He needs that to compliment his speed. I think he will be a steady part of our offense either way. But there’s no limit to what he should be able to do. Defenses will have to account for him every time he’s on the field. But he’s more than a Corey Bradford. He can legitimately score every time he gets the ball.
4. Love. To be clear, he has a lot to prove - like everything. But I think his composure and MLF’s ability to wean him from backup to starter is going to be tremendous. Yeah, it’s still all about potential. But by November, I think we will be confident that he is a starting caliber QB. Maybe sooner. I think he will be able to produce at least a modest amount of offense. The question is whether he will fall prey to defenders who create turnovers or not.
5. Alexander. He hasn’t been making a lot of turnovers. But his skills are diverse and very dependable. If he can also snag a few INTs and/or do an occasional blitz, I think he will still ascend as a player. No doubt, he’s one of the best cover guys already.
6. Gary. Health will be the big question for him this year. But he’s already proven that he gets a LOT of pressure on opposing QBs and he’s pretty good versus the run. We want him to return quickly and get back to 100% because he is truly a difference maker.
7. Van Ness. Yes, potential. He hasn’t stepped onto a NFL field with pads yet. And he’ll likely be given spoonfuls to begin. But if he can translate his abilities into real production, it won’t take long to make him one of those guys that OLines must also account for on every play.
8. Musgrave. The combination of size, speed, and savvy that this guy will show is going to be exceptional. If he merely catches 30 passes this year as a rookie, that’ll be enough to make him a guy that we can depend on more as the season progresses.
Steady, positive contributors.
1. Doubs. A lot of people are singing very high praises for Doubs, including MLF. If they haven’t over-stated what he can do in his second year, he could clearly become what Gregg Jennings used to be for us, a guy who effectively works the middle of the field, moving the chains with regularity, and occasionally gets open deep for a TD. In short, dependable and effective. A great compliment for Watson (and vice versa).
2. Carlson. Maybe being a rookie kicker is the hardest position of all. But they are saying he shows an explosive leg. If he can perform well on FGs and truly make touchbacks, that’ll lengthen the field for the opposing offenses. We just can’t say enough about how important that is. Again, until he shows it in games, it is all potential at this point. But there are realistic high hopes.
3. Bahktiari. This guy is All Pro for a reason. Now, he just needs to stay healthy. If he does, we can’t say enough about how his opposing defenders will NOT have their names mentioned much on game day.
4. Campbell. Seemed like he digressed just a bit last year from his impressive Packer debut. But what he has proven is that he can cover a very wide range. He is a dependable tackler. And he just seems to know where to be at the right time.
5. Clark. He is a true star at his position. He might well play better than he did last year, when he was limited by injuries. And if one other DLineman steps up more than Dean Lowry ever did (I’m thinking it’s a very real possibility this year), Clark will be able to dominate. His greatest contribution might be pressure on the QB from the center of the LOS. But maybe he starts to play more snaps at End as well.
6. Deguara. He isn’t fast or agile. He’s ordinary in so many ways. But I think he will get more opportunities this year than ever. MLF will design his offense to utilize all of the TEs more than last year. Too many people compare him to Richard Rogers. But I think he is more than that; truly a Swiss Army knife kind of guy for his position.
7. Dillon. I like Dillon a lot. He’s so strong and has lots of talent. But I think his main thing is that he fits the scheme of our offense so well. And that’ll become a bigger deal as the season progresses again. With a new QB, perhaps Dillon gets more snaps than ever. And we’ll see if Quadzilla can continue to wear down defenses.
8. Douglas. Granted, I think that Rasul gave up more big plays last year than should be. But that might’ve been coaching as much as his propensity to gamble for big plays. Even so, he is a ball hawk. And he will make a few game changing plays along the way. Meanwhile, he is still a good (not great) cover guy.
9. Jenkins. If Elgton can get his regular LG snaps, in contrast to last year, I think he reverts to form and plays fantastic ball. Nuf sed about that.
10. Smith. I’ve always appreciated Preston. He isn’t great at this point. But he is still an effective pass rusher. And he is superb at holding the edge against the run.
High potential.
1. Walker. Quay is fast. But it seemed clear that there was a lot on his plate as a rookie. I think this year, his 2nd, he will play faster. And we’re gonna like what we see from him.
2. Reed. Yeah, another rookie. And he might not even start in the slot in September, due to Toure. But early reports indicate that he is a great match for our slot position and can help on the outside too. Just a guy who is very savvy and should pick up the speed and design of the game quickly.
3. Slaton. A lot of man in Slaton and a lot of talent. Does he take a step up this year? I hope so. That’ll help Clark a great deal and it’ll help the DLine rotation tremendously. It’s time that we had two all stars on our DLine and I think that Slaton can do that. (If Wyatt gets more snaps and also performs very well, that’s fine with me and I’d be thrilled.)
I didn’t put many OLinemen here, but I think that Tom also helps our OLine tremendously. His diversity will fill gaps if/when there are injuries. Otherwise, we have young guys who look able to step up. Same in other positions.
I really think two things are true about this team.
1. This roster has a LOT of natural ability. It also has more speed than in the past.
2. This roster has a LOT to prove. It might look like a rebuilding team in September and October. But I really think that by mid season, this is going to be a playoff-looking team, even through growing pains.
