Packers 2022 Off-Season Recap
Time to wake up, the NFL regular season is just around the corner for Green Bay football. What did the Packers do from the end of last season to this season?
It’s incredible how time flies. It only seems like a month ago was the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft was shortly after that. Preseason also flew by quickly. It is now September and we are less than one week away from the start of the regular season. How did we get here and what did we miss? Below is a short recap of what happened over the previous seven months between the Super Bowl and now.
2022 NFL Draft: Packers Selections
Green Bay added 11 players from the 2022 NFL draft. In the first round, the Packers snagged linebacker Quay Walker out of the University of Georgia. Walker was compared to De’Vondre Campbell for his size, speed, and athleticism. He should line up opposite him to create a force field on the defense. Next up was Devonte Wyatt late in the first round. Wyatt is a defensive tackle also from the University of Georgia. He should start and work to create quarterback pressure.
In the second round, the Packers selected wide receiver, Christian Watson from North Dakota State University. Green Bay moved up in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings to snag an athletically gifted wideout that should start for Green Bay. In round three, Green Bay moved to the offensive line and picked Sean Rhyan out of UCLA. Rhyan can play tackle or guard and can push for reps early on with his athletic abilities. The rookie sensation Romeo Doubs was selected in the fourth round out of the University of Nevada. Doubs brings a deep threat ability to replace Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Also in the fourth round, offensive lineman Zach Tom was selected from Wake Forest. Tom is a utility lineman that can play at almost any position on the line, which is great for the Packers. Outside linebacker Kingsley Enagbare from USC was selected in the fifth round. Enagbare is a skilled edge rusher that should fit in well for the Packers. He was supposed to be a day one target but fell to Green Bay. Inside linebacker, Tariq Carpenter was drafted in round seven from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Carpenter should fill in to replace free agent Oren Burks.
Jonathan Ford, a defensive tackle from the University of Miami was selected in the seventh round. Ford is a middle-of-the-road defensive player that should line up at nose tackle. 14 picks later in the seventh round, offensive tackle Rasheed Walker was selected out of Pennsylvania State University. Walker possesses the athleticism to start in the NFL. The Packers’ last pick in the NFL draft came late in the seventh round with Samori Toure. Toure is a wide receiver from the University of Nebraska. Toure is a threat on the offense but his big plays come in phases. He’ll look to make a name for himself this year.
Former Packers Wide Receiver: Davante Adams
Davante Adams was franchise tagged by the Packers in the off-season and he would receive just over $20 million for the year. As the AFC continues to build, new head coach Josh McDaniels looked to build the Las Vegas Raiders with a flashy new receiver. The Packers traded Davante Adams to the Raiders for a 2022 first-round and second-round pick. After the trade, the Raiders worked out a deal by signing Adams to a five-year deal worth just over $141 million. Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr and newcomer Davante Adams played two seasons together in college at Fresno State. They’ll look to build on their chemistry in the NFL.
How Did The Packers Preseason Go?
During the three-week preseason, the Packers rarely played their starters. Just like usual, quarterback Aaron Rodgers only saw the field from the sideline and watched Jordan Love command the offense. There were some glimpses of greatness and sadness. Backup quarterback Jordan Love started slowly in the first game and improved in each game thereafter. Third-string quarterback Danny Etling played surprisingly well for the Packers when Love finished his time on the field.
Special teams are still an issue for the Packers just like last year. Hopefully, everything is cleared up by Week one so we fans don’t have to deal with the headaches that occurred last year. Second-year wide receiver Amari Rodgers showed plenty of improvement after a poor rookie year. He’ll look to rebound this season. Rookie Quay Walker was one of the few starters that played in the preseason as he works to get accustomed to the Packers’ defense. The Packers went 1-2 in the preseason.
Packers Roster Cuts
As the roster deadline approached, the Packers needed to cut down the roster to 53 by 4 pm on Tuesday, August 30. In total, the Packers cut 25 guys across all positions to complete their active roster. Here are the following offensive cuts by position: quarterback Danny Etling, running backs Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, and Dexter Williams, wide receivers Juwann Winfree, Travis Fulgham, and Ishmael Hyman, tight ends Sal Cannella, Nate Becker, and Alize Mack, offensive line Caleb Jones and Michal Menet.
The defensive cuts by position were: defensive linemen Jack Heflin, Chris Slayton, and Akiel Byers, outside linebackers La’Darius Hamilton and Kobe Jones, inside linebacker Ray Wilborn, cornerbacks Kabion Ento, Rico Gafford, and Kiondre Thomas, safeties De’Vante Cross, Innis Gaines, and Shawn Davis. Kicker Ramiz Ahmed was also cut when the Packers activated Mason Crosby off the PUP list.
Packers Regular Season: What To Expect
We are now less than one week away from the start of the NFL regular season. The Packers Week one matchup is on Sunday, September 11 at 3:25 pm CT. The Packers will travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings in the NFC North showdown. Per my analysis of the Packers’ schedule, I project that the Packers will go 13-4 based on the loss of Davante Adams and an easier schedule. Green Bay can get upwards of 15 wins if they play their cards right and create excellent chemistry early on.