Can these Packers veterans repeat career years in 2022?
The defense of the Green Bay Packers used career years from several veteran players to power the unit during Joe Barry’s first season as defensive coordinator. The emergence of so many players helped offset the losses of Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander, two All-Pros who missed a big chunk of the season with injuries.
The bar has been raised. Career years mean raised expectations. The Packers are now banking on several veterans to repeat their production from last year and lead the defense in 2022.
If the Packers are to be elite on defense, the veterans who excelled last season can’t afford a regression.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the many veterans coming off career years:
LB De'Vondre Campbell
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Campbell, in his sixth NFL season, transformed from a replacement-level starter to a first-team All-Pro. At Pro Football Focus, his overall grade jumped a remarkable 35.7 points from 2020 to 2021, making him one of the NFL’s most improved players and one of the offseason’s best additions. The Packers trusted Campbell to run the show in the middle of the defense, and he responded with one of the best seasons by a Packers inside linebacker in years. Can he continue to be one of the game’s most impactful middle linebackers in Year 2 in Green Bay, or will he regress back to his baseline from Atlanta and Arizona? The Packers agreed to pay him $50 million over five years to keep him. They are betting on more of the good stuff.
OLB Preston Smith
(AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
After laboring through a highly disappointing 2020 season, Smith responded with a terrific 2021 season in which he set new career-highs in pressures (62), hurries (46), run defense grade (72.1), pass rush grade (75.1) and overall grade (80.8). He got into better shape, and Joe Barry allowed him to attack the quarterback with far fewer coverage responsibilities. The result was a disruptive edge player on all three downs. One thing to monitor: Smith’s career has gone through ups and downs from one year to the next, especially in terms of production. Can he break the trend and produce another productive season in 2022? With little depth behind him, the Packers need Smith to be an effective pass-rushing partner to Rashan Gary.
CB Rasul Douglas
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The Packers plucked Douglas off the Cardinals’ practice squad in October to help provide some relief at cornerback after losing Jaire Alexander, but no one could have envisioned what was next. Douglas would go on to intercept a team-high five passes, returning two for touchdowns, which helped stabilize the secondary and propel the Packers to a 13-win season. He made big play after big play late in games. The question becomes: Will the Packers get this version of Douglas for a full year in 2022, or is he more likely to play at a level matching his up-and-down years in Philadelphia and Carolina? He had been cut twice within a week in August of last year and was holding on by a thread in Arizona. The Packers re-signed him to a three-year deal. Staying in Green Bay – and playing alongside Alexander and Eric Stokes – gives him the best chance of repeating his breakout 2021 season.
OLB Rashan Gary
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Gary’s quiet but obvious ascension as a player during his first two seasons foretold his incredible third season. Given an opportunity to be a full-time player for the first time, Gary – who was ultra-efficient as a rotational player early in his career – produced one of the NFL’s best seasons by an edge rusher during the 2021 season. He created 81 total pressures and ranked among the league’s leaders in pressure rate, pass-rush win rate and pass-rush grade. Teams won’t be sleeping on him now. Gary is a budding superstar, and he’ll be treated as such by opponents. Can he keep evolving and improving to meet the challenge? This is the final hurdle for all great players.
DL Dean Lowry
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After two nondescript and mostly unproductive seasons in 2019 and 2020, Lowry erupted in 2021, producing a career-high 42 pressures. He also ranked 17th among defensive linemen in pass-rush win rate (min. 300 pass-rush snaps), per PFF. In the previous two seasons, Lowry had just 39 pressures total and was a non-factor against the run. The Packers defensive line is well-stocked with talent entering 2022, so Lowry should have even more opportunities to face one-on-one blocks and disrupt the pocket as a rusher. Any kind of regression from Lowry would open the door for more playing time for Jarran Reed and rookie Devonte Wyatt. This is a contract year for Lowry in 2022.
Offense
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Don’t forget about the offense. Here are a few to consider:
RB A.J. Dillon: He created over 1,100 total yards in his second season. The Packers will be expected to give him even more touches in 2022.
WR Allen Lazard: He caught a career-high eight touchdown passes in 2021. Can he stay productive and efficient in a featured role? The Packers may view him as the top option in the passing game entering 2022.
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