The focus of the media going into the Green Bay Packers matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers was on the stars. Most importantly, it was a game of Jordan Love versus Aaron Rodgers. Other stars like TJ Watt and Micah Parsons got their focus. Two players who were not featured on the playbill were Packers UDFAs Emmanuel Wilson and Malik Heath.
Undrafted Free Agents, or UDFAs, are not often heralded players. Many fans react with groans when an UDFA is forced into the game by an injury to a starter. Despite this, the Packers are a team that has put into and received back value from these players.
The Packers UDFAs have had a history of success earning roster spots. They currently have a 21 year streak of at least one undrafted rookie being included on the initial roster. This year’s player was nose tackle Nazir Stackhouse.
Two of these players that have remained past their rookie years are running back Emmanuel Wilson and wide receiver Malik Heath. Both of these players made important plays in the Sunday night victory.
Malik Heath
Rarely appearing on the stat sheet, Malik Heath’s main value as a player is as a blocker. At 6 foot 2 inches and 214 pounds, he has the ability to push smaller cornerbacks completely out of the game. He did exactly that on Tucker Kraft’s first touchdown of the game
However, due to his primary use as a blocking wide receiver he often gets opportunities to take the defense by surprise. In the play immediately before Kraft’s 16 yard touchdown, Love found Heath wide open for a 13 yard gain on 2nd and 5.
Few teams spend premium picks on a blocking wide receiver. When a team has one of these players on their team, it’s good when they can provide extra offensive value. With 3 career touchdowns, Malik Heath has versatile value among the Packers UDFAs.
Emmanuel Wilson
Since joining the Green Bay Packers in 2024, Josh Jacobs has been the go-to running back for the Packers. That was the case until Sunday night. While Jacobs ran the ball 13 times and scored a touchdown on the ground, Wilson ran for nearly twice the number of yards on 11 carries.
It is known that Jacobs has been dealing with, well, not feeling well. In the week 7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Jacobs was ill and vomited several times during the game. He also has been dealing with a calf strain. These factors are the likely reason that Jacobs has not performed as well the past few weeks, leading to more opportunities for Wilson.
Emmanuel Wilson became a Packers UDFA in 2023 after being cut by the Denver Broncos. Since making the roster as a rookie, Wilson has never lost his spot and has performed well as a backup. He averages 5 yards per carry over his career, and has found the endzone 4 times.
In Sunday night’s matchup, Jacobs and Wilson were splitting carries nearly evenly. Trading drives back and forth, Wilson was the much more effective runner. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry to Jacobs’ 2.5. Many factors may have contributed to this disparity, especially Jacobs’ calf injury, but it cannot be denied that Wilson played well.
Wilson’s most important carry of the game was the carry that ended the game. On 3rd and 5, Wilson converted for a gain of 6 yards ensuring Aaron Rodgers would not touch the ball again. No fanbase understands what Rodgers is capable of in seemingly impossible situations as fans of the Packers.
To build a championship roster, a team needs more than star players. For your Clay Matthews, it helps to have a Desmond Bishop. For your Charles Woodson, it helps to have a Sam Shields. Jordan Love, Micah Parsons, and Tucker Kraft cannot win a Superbowl on their own. If the Lombardi comes home this season, contributions from Packers’ UDFAs will be the foundation for a championship.
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