The 2021 Packers Offense Is Going To Burn Down The League

The Packers have some tough choices to make in cutdowns on offense this year, but it’s not just because they have great depth, it’s because they can run so many different offenses with the personnel they have.

Last week, I wrote about why the Packers might break the all time league scoring record. This week, I want to get deeper into why this offense is so special.

Let’s start with a quick inventory of the tools Matt LaFleur has to work with:

• A solid offensive line that can run block and pass block with high proficiency
• A deep receiving corp featuring all-world Davante Adams, speedster MVS, big possession receivers in Allen Lazard and Devin Funchess, plus joystick players for the slot in Amari Rodgers and Randall Cobb
• A backfield with Pro Bowler Aaron Jones, whose quick slashing run style is a perfect complement to AJ Dillon’s power, plus twitchy newcomer Kylin Hill
• A tight end group with “old glue hands” Big Bobby Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, who is like having an extra offensive tackle, Josiah Deguara, who can block on the run so well that the Packers overdrafted him to make sure he came to Green Bay, and (probably after a couple weeks) Jace Sternberger, who finally seems to be showing his big play ability in training camp this year.
• Oh, and Aaron Freaking Rodgers running the show under center

That’s a lot to work with and Matt LaFleur is sure to come up with some creative combinations that will surprise us (and opposing defenses).

Just think of the possibilities. 

The basic offensive set is probably Aaron Jones and Bob Tonyan plus Adams and Lazard on the outside (or MVS, depending on the matchup) with Cobb in the slot. That’s what I expect their base set to be and it’s already a pretty versatile set.

But what if they want to pass more?

In that case, they could go five wide with Adams, MVS, Lazard, Funchess, and Cobb. That would give defenses some tough coverages.

They could go with a set of big receivers using 6’4 MVS, 6’4 Funchess, 6’5 Tonyan, 6’4 Sternberger, and 6’5 Allen Lazard, too. How many defenses can cover five guys at 6’4 or taller? Imagine that set of guys catching jump balls in the red zone. Matt LaFleur has always favored big targets and that would probably be his biggest group ever.

They could also go small and shifty, running with Adams, Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Allen Lazard, and put running back Aaron Jones in as a fifth receiver. 

What if they ran that set with Jones in the backfield, spreading the defense and then running off center? What if they ran play action with that set and then threw a delayed screen pass to Jones?

Matt LaFleur has endless possibilities in the passing game.

And he has just as much flexibility in the run game.

He can run Aaron Jones from a spread formation, or he could run him behind the mobile blocking of Josiah Deguara. He could also put Lewis in as an extra blocker ahead of Deguara. For a bit of misdirection, Jones could run a fake wide in one direction while Deguara takes a short handoff in the other direction.

The Packers could even run a four tight end set with Lewis as a power blocker and Deguara as a mobile blocker, plus both Tonyan and Sternberger in as big-bodied positional blockers.

That’s a lot of mass to have blocking.

Imagine what kind of damage could be done with a powerhouse like AJ Dillon running behind those bodies!

Now, run a play action off that and have Tonyan and Sternberger each sprinting down a sideline.

The Packers could also mix things up and go four wide with Adams, MVS, Cobb, and Amari Rodgers, forcing the defense into a small dime package, but then run AJ Dillon hard between Elgton Jenkins and Josh Myers.

The flexibility is limitless. Best of all, the Packers have all the pieces to run all kinds of diverse lineups that could pass or run and keep defenses guessing. 

To top it all off, a highly-motivated Aaron Rodgers is going to be running the whole show.

This offense is going to be making some highlight reels this year.

I can’t wait for this season to start.