Four Packers Players Primed For Breakout Roles in 2016
With Organized Team Activities set to begin next week, we’re beginning to get a better picture of what the Green Bay Packers may be looking at working on heading into training camp later this summer. As the rookie draft is now complete and the free agent signing period tapering down to a crawl, the 2016 roster is now taking shape.
Every year, the inevitable off-season roster turnover creates opportunities for players to make an impact, either for young players who were awaiting their turn, or veteran players getting a second chance.
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The Packers have multiple players who will be given that opportunity in 2016. Here are four that could make a big impact on the field this year:
Quinten Rollins
When the Packers drafted two cornerbacks back-to-back in the 2015 draft, many fans questioned the picks of both Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins at the top of the draft.
Heading into 2016, however, it looks like Ted Thompson hit on both picks.
Randall has been penciled in as the starter opposite Sam Shields, and Rollins takes over the top slot cornerback position. Rollins was hampered part of the 2015 season with some nagging injuries, but when he saw the field, he produced. In 14 games primarily in the dime package, Rollins had five pass break-ups, two interceptions, and one defensive touchdown. Pro Football Focus had Rollins as their 22nd highest-rated cornerback in the league.
For a guy who played only played one year of football before his rookie season, his future certainly looks bright.
Datone Jones
On the surface, the former 2013 first round draft choice has been a disappointment since coming into the league.
Injuries and inconsistent play have hampered Jones, and earlier this off-season the Packers declined to pick up his fifth year option for next season.
The Packers, however, seem to think they have found Jones’ roll.
Towards the end of the 2015 season, Jones began to play more snaps at outside linebacker, and he responded by having his best two months as a pro. In April, the Packers announced that Jones would be playing the majority of his snaps on the outside in 2016. He will be given every opportunity to succeed Julius Peppers in that role. If he pays well, he plays himself into a contract.
Coming into the league out of UCLA, Jones was slated as a double-digit sack player. That may finally come to fruition.
Aaron Ripkowski
It does appear that the Packers are ready to move on from fan favorite John Kuhn.
Kuhn was a do-everything kind of player and his knowledge of the offense made him almost like another coach on the field, along with being a three-time Pro Bowl player. The writing was on the wall last year, however, when the Packers drafted Ripkowski in the sixth round, quite clearly to be Kuhn’s successor.
Look for Ripkowski to step right into Kuhn’s role, be it however, a faster, stronger, and more athletic version. Kuhn will most certainly be ready in a pinch if his services are needed, but expect #22 to have a breakout season lining up behind #12.
Jeff Janis
The reasons given by the Packers coaching staff on why Janis wasn’t getting more playing time on offense last year were plentiful: “He runs flat routes, he needs more time, he’s too raw, he and Aaron aren’t quite on the same page, etc.” However, when playing out of necessity in the divisional playoff game, Janis couldn’t be covered, catching seven passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Janis also turned into the Packers’ best special teams player in 2015, and one of the better gunners in punt and kick coverage in the league.
Janis’ size and speed combination can make him lethal to a defense already having to account for Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Jared Cook. He will be given every opportunity to compete for the #3 wide receiver job, and he has the talent to win it.
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