What’s the one thing about the Packers that keeps getting brought up?
(And if you say wide receiver, I’m turning this car around.)
Without a doubt, it’s the depth.
The Packers have one of the best quarterbacks in the league and maybe the best cornerback in the league, but the strength of this team lies in its numbers.
And that’s a huge kudos to Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. Would the Packers have been able to win 13 games three straight seasons without amazing depth? The answer is a hard no. Guys like left tackle David Bakhtiari, tight end Robert Tonyan, outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, nose tackle Kenny Clark, outside linebacker Preston Smith, wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Aaron Jones have all missed time in the last three years.
All NFL teams struggle with injuries. It’s a violent and demanding sport. The key for every team is being able to find pieces that can still be productive while also knowing and understanding their role.
Take AJ Dillon for example. The self-described “Mayor of Door County” could’ve demanded that he get the lion’s share of carries after running around, over and through the Titans defense on Dec. 27, 2020 to the tune of 124 rushing yards and two scores. But he didn’t because he knew his role and he also knew that kind of chatter wouldn’t help the team.
It’s one thing to add guys that are supremely talented. That’s not always easy to do. Look at how many swings and misses litter the first round each year. I mean, Josh Rosen was the No. 10 pick in 2018, Leonard Fournett was the No. 4 pick in 2017, Corey Coleman was the No. 16 pick in 2016 and as if we could ever forget, Johnny Manziel was the No. 22 pick in 2014.
NFL teams get it wrong every single spring. They think they have the next big thing, but it turns out to be a massive flop. But the thing that really impresses me about Gutekunst is that he can find the talent embedded with team and unselfish traits.
Finding talent on its own merit is tough enough. But Gutekunst has stepped his game up to massive levels.
Did anyone really think that Yosh Nijman could step up and start eight games at left tackle last year? He was an undrafted free agent and played a major role in helping the Packers win 13 games and with the uncertainty surrounding Bakhtiari’s health, he may be called upon again.
Depth is a big plus at inside linebacker where Krys Barnes will likely come off the bench this year and defensive line where T.J. Slaton offers a needed boost for the rest of the run stuffers.
Fine, if you want to bring up wide receiver, we can do it. I absolutely loved the Sammy Watkins signing. He’s a sneaky veteran with his back to the wall. That wide receiver room may look thin right now to the national media, but it has a lot of pieces that are not only talented but know their roles.
With teams playing 17 games, depth is going to be an even bigger focus moving forward. I am willing to bet that the days of a team feeding one running back 25 carries a game consistently are over. Teams will have an eye on usage as it relates to keeping players healthy in January.
Gutekunst was already a solid general manager because he has done a great job in not only mining talent but building a team-focused culture.
That’s the gold standard of depth.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on “Clubhouse Live” and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn