While the bitterness of the NFC Championship may not have worn off for cheese-heads yet, 2014 was actually a great year. The play of Aaron Rodgers was worthy of an MVP award, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb both caught for over 1,000 yards and Eddie Lacy had another phenomenal year, adding “receiving threat” to his resume. Defensively, 2014 free agent aquisitions Letroy Guion and Julius Peppers bolstered a front seven that struggled in 2013 and the secondary, with newly added rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix improved in terms of both run stopping and coverage.
Sadly, the team still has some glaring holes on both offense and defense. If these can be improved before the start of the 2015 season, the Packers will be a Super Bowl favorite for 2015. Here are the top three Packers 2015 offseason concerns.
1. Figure Out Who is the Starting Tight End
Prior to the 2014 season there was some speculation that Andrew Quarless may develop into a playmaking tight end. His most memorable play was his game winning touchdown catch against the Miami Dolphins in October. Unfortunately his 2014 season stats totaled just 29 catches for 323 yards. Richard Rodgers looks like he may be the answer however. The 2014 third-round pick out of California showed flashes of greatness late in the year when he essentially took over for Quarless. They are comparable in size, while Rodgers is somewhat quicker and has been credited by Aaron Rodgers with having some of the best hands on the team. If the MVP quarterback says something like that, it may well be a sign.
Quarless has shown himself by this point. He is a solid backup option, but by no means a top tier starter. Rodgers may well be the answer, but a rookie season like his; with five starts, 20 receptions for 225 yards and just two scores, still leaves some questions. Placing him in the number one spot at this point is premature. Furthermore, as Rodgers and 2014 undrafted tight end Justin Perillo are both in their early 20’s, there is no reason to go throwing draft picks at tight ends. Quarless and Brandon Bostick are under contract until 2016 but Bostick is another story, given fans’ displeasure with his miscue in the NFC Championship (one mistake among many that cost Green Bay the game).
In terms of free agents, Julius Thomas is the obvious front runner, but he’s not a financially efficient choice for the Packers. As a top tier tight end (12 touchdowns in 2014), Thomas requires a significant chunk of cash that the Packers need to bring back Randall Cobb, among a couple other free agents. Miami’s Charles Clay, Cincinnati’s Jermaine Gresham, and Cleveland’s Jordan Cameron are all options, but none of these guys put up great numbers in 2014. Cameron is also concussion prone, Clay has a nagging knee injury and Gresham has underachieved so far in his NFL career. Owen Daniels of the Ravens is available, but at 32, his days in the league are numbered. It is not out of the question at this point to give the starting job to Richard Rodgers. He put up a respectable rookie performance and is showing a great rapport with Aaron Rodgers.
2. Keep Randall Cobb
This is very simple. Without Randall Cobb, Aaron Rodgers would not have been MVP for the 2014 season. While great quarterbacks can make their receivers look better, Randall Cobb made some great opportunities for Aaron Rodgers and letting the best slot receiver in the league go will doom this offense. In terms of production, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb were numbers four and eleven respectively in receiving yards. Only Demarius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders of the Broncos had more yards, but Nelson and Cobb caught more TD’s than them. They are among the best in the league, no more need be said.
Some have suggested that Davante Adams could be moved to the slot position and Jarrett Boykin back to start on the outside but Davante Adams, who had a very solid rookie season, is not on the same page with Aaron Rodgers as Cobb is. He’s getting there, but outside of his three amazing performances in 2014, Adams has some maturing to do.
Some have speculated that Cobb’s future salary may put the Packers in a position where they would have to give up tackle Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga was a rookie stand-out back in 2010, but suffered season-ending injuries in 2012 and 2013. Losing Bulaga is less than ideal but losing Cobb is something to genuinely fear. Bulaga’s injury-prone status will keep his leverage in terms of salary requests relatively low, meaning the Packers have a good chance to keep him even after giving Cobb a significant raise. The bottom line: you can find a new Bryan Bulaga, but you cannot find a new Randall Cobb.
3. Clean Up that Inside Linebacker Situation
Clay Matthews can’t play every position on the field at once. If they move him to inside on a regular basis they will need to find another outside backer. This does not seem to be the team’s intention however, and long time starter AJ Hawk is on a steady decline. He had some good years, a Pro Bowl season and a Super Bowl but he’s well past his prime. The idea of Brad Jones and Sam Barrington as starters in the front seven makes some cheese heads uneasy, for good reason. Jones and Barrington have their places in Dom Capers’ defense, but not playing every down. Barrington actually looks promising, with 52 tackles in seven starts in 2014, but he has yet to prove himself as an NFL starter. Jamari Lattimore is not an option as a starter.
Rolando McClain, Nate Irving, Brandon Spikes and Michael Wilhoite are all options, but as previously noted, the Packers have some cap space, but these guys may be looking for too much money. Rey Maualuga is available but his play is notoriously inconsistent. Mason Foster of the Buccaneers is available, and will be just 26 at the start of the 2015 season. He underachieved in Tampa Bay but that whole team was a dumpster fire in 2014. Foster missed almost half of 2014 with an injury, but pending a head-nod from a doctor, he could be an economical choice for the Packers.
There are more concerns for the Packers during this offseason, such as who will start at cornerback in 2015, and will Letroy Guion be available following his arrest, but these are the top three. Stay tuned for more.
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