Who still can’t get the NFC championship out of their minds? I understand, the game was a few weeks ago now; it still bothers some of us. The interest level for this Sunday’s championship is almost at the lowest level for you, because of how confident I and countless others were in the Green Bay Packers. Anyway, this is our first step towards the past and towards 2021.
Let’s call it our first therapy session.
With many line-up decisions facing the front line at a free agency and the potential for some “limit losses”, there is something unknown at Green Bay, like most other teams. Another unknown is with those who will certainly be back and with their growth and development. Who are the players most likely to take their individual game to the next level in 2021 at Green Bay?
AJ Dillon
Whether you chose to take on the music or not, the reality is that it will be very, very difficult for Brian Gutekunst and the Packers to find enough space to sign again with Aaron Jones. It is more than likely that someone will support the Brinks truck for Jones, and while it is disheartening that he will not be in green and gold next year, the guy deserves a fat contract and a standing ovation for what he did in Green Bay.
Jamaal Williams is also a free agent. Williams would start in many backfields in the NFL. Although he doesn’t draw attention or the contract that Jones made, he will still have many suitors. It is plausible that the Packers will be able to settle something with Williams that is more financially friendly than what it will cost to retain Jones.
AJ Dillon enters.
Its potential for an escape season is twofold. One is just a circumstance based on the above: Jones is probably gone, and Williams is also a free agent. The Packers recruited AJ in the second round in 2020. You don’t normally select a running back in round 2, unless there is a plan for him to become the eventual backfield starter. That season may already be in 2021 for Dillon, given the situation of the Packers in the position.
Second, after returning from an extended stay on the COVID-19 list, Dillon slowly gained more opportunities. He was on full display in the Packers’ victory in December against the Tennessee Titans, running 21 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Although it had the potential to be his debutante party as a rookie, the Packers backfield proved to be very dynamic. And even though it was a sample of a game, the Packers had a glimpse of what kind of back Dillon can be. In 2021, he must have ample opportunities and may be the first to enter the training ground.
Robert Tonyan
This one can catch you off guard. I understand, the guy had 10 receptions for 100 yards and a total touchdown in 15 games in 2019. In 2020? 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. I know what you’re thinking: Tonyan just had his breakout season, right?
My accountant: What if there are more lairs to peel in this onion?
Tonyan was excellent last season and a welcome surprise for almost everyone. But could there be another level to which he is able to climb?
Statistics were very necessary for a position that the Packers tried to solve for years with guys like Jimmy Graham and Martellus Bennett. Tonyan seems to be the long-term answer.
Why, then, should we not wait any longer from now on? It is perfectly possible that he has not yet reached the maximum limit.
I am not suggesting that expectations should be Travis Kelce, George Kittle or Darren Waller.
Look at someone like TJ Hockenson or Hunter Henry. While Tonyan was tied at the top of the league in tight finals with 11 touchdowns, he could definitely move up the reception and the yardage. Hockenson had a stellar year in Detroit, ending with 67 receptions for 723 yards and six touchdowns. Henry recorded 60 receptions for 613 yards in just 14 games. Tonyan can improve and has the talent to stick his flag firmly in the second tight end layer in 2021.
It also helps to have a solid quarterback playing to catch the ball, a box that Packers can safely tag.
Rashan Gary
Gary has a lot of untapped potential.
Preston Smith could be one of the aforementioned “casualties” for Green Bay, opening up more opportunities for Rashan. Regardless of what happens, expect Gary to begin the transition from being the guy who held the position of external linebacker in 2021.
We started to see a kind of passing torch as the 2020 season unfolded. While Preston Smith was still out there, you could see Mike Pettine finding ways to put Gary more on the pitch because he was unsettling.
A choice from the first round of two years ago, coaches across the board praised Gary’s engine and potential. Although with a large batch of players it is easier to predict the floor and the ceiling, Gary is really a wildcard in the best possible sense. He could be a Pro-Bowler for years to come and flirt with the All-Pro teams; it could really be that good.
Entering its third year in 2021, it is clear that the Packers need to make it a priority and involve it as much as possible. His steady improvement almost game by game in 2020 ensured that he could get all possible reps for the next season. Get as dizzy as you want with Rashan, the guy seems to be the real one.
Krys Barnes
Not elaborated after starting three years at UCLA, many did not expect the year that Barnes set up. The linebacker was running in the playoffs with a full on club in his left hand still causing attacks to the opponent’s attack and making plays.
I admit, that choice is somewhat biased, Packers fans are starving waiting for an internal linebacker to flourish and stay for a long time, and Barnes may be the answer. He finished second on the tackle teams, and whenever Matt LaFleur asked about Barnes, he always talked about how good he is at the game and how great he is at diagnosing what the attack is doing.
Although I don’t see Barnes projecting himself into an All-Pro future in the Hall of Fame, the hope is that he will continue to develop and eventually become a reliable starting linebacker wearing green and gold for many years to come.