With the Green Bay Packers 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears, the Packers are off to the playoffs. Reaching the playoffs is quite an accomplishment for the Packers. With fielding the youngest roster in the NFL this season, nobody knew how this Packers team would perform. But the youngsters, especially Jordan Love, stepped up big time. But there was a handful of veterans that helped the cause as well. One of those veterans being outside linebacker Preston Smith.
Preston Smith Tops the List of Unsung Green Bay Packers Veterans
When general manager Brian Gutekunst decided to part ways with Aaron Rodgers, the decision was made to build for the future. As we wrote, we believed the roster shift would make this season a rebuilding one. However, the Packers players had other thoughts.
Players like Love, Tucker Kraft, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks all played better than what was expected. Still, even with the young players stepping up, some key veterans contributed to the Packers success. There were three key veterans, Preston Smith, Aaron Jones, and Elgton Jenkins, who contributed at a high level in 2023.
Preston Smith, Outside Linebacker
In the 2019 off-season, Gutekunst made a big splash in free agency. That off-season, he signed safety Adrian Amos, pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, tackle Billy Turner, and of course Preston Smith to free agent deals. Out of the four free agents, only Preston Smith remains and is contributing to the Packers success.
Credit to Gutekunst and his staff for making sure Smith is still a Packer. Smith struggled in 2020, posting just four sacks, his lowest as a Packer. It appeared that he might be a salary cap casualty. But Gutekunst decided to keep the veteran and that decision has paid off.
In 2022, with top pass rusher Rashan Gary out for the season with a knee injury, it was Smith who stepped up and picked up the slack. He finished 2022 with eight and a half sacks. Smith did this even while facing double teams without Gary opposite of him. Even with Gary returning this season, Smith still posted eight sacks. He even provided 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness with a mentor, on how to get it done.
Smith has provided steady play, both as a pass rusher and as a run defender, this season. He will be a key piece to the Packers defense in the playoffs.
Elgton Jenkins, Left Guard
Before suffering a knee injury in 2021 against the Minnesota Vikings, it appeared Elgton Jenkins was on his way to having a Hall of Fame career. Jenkins was an offense line coach’s dream. He was athletic and was able to play multiple positions at a high level. When he went down, he was starting at left tackle for an injured David Bakhtiari.
There is no doubt that the knee injury has changed Jenkins. When he returned, the Packers inserted him as their starting right tackle. He struggled in his return and he was eventually moved back to his starting left guard spot, a position he thrived at. Since returning to guard, Jenkins has shored up the interior of the Packers offensive line. He might not be the player he once was, but even with that, he is still one of the better guards in the NFL.
He has started 15 games for the Packers this season. Jenkins has done a solid job as a pass protector and has done an excellent job in the running game. The Packers offense will need Jenkins to play a good game on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. It will be a tough task for the Love-led offense but if they are going to have success, the veteran Jenkins will need to continue his solid play.
Aaron Jones, Running Back
Similar to Smith, after last season, there was no guarantee that Aaron Jones would be a Packer in 2023. But Jones decided to re-work his contract and he returned for his seventh season with the Packers.
2023 hasn’t been the easiest season for the veteran ball carrier. He has battled several injuries this season. The injuries were severe enough to cause Jones to miss multiple games. While Jones absence hurt the Packers offensive production, his return late in the season provided a spark.
In the Packers last three regular season games, Jones rushed for a combined 358 yards. He provided something AJ Dillon couldn’t in his absence, that being able to make plays when given the ball. He even chipped in 48 yards receiving for the Packers passing attack.
Jordan Love is going to need to have a big game against the Cowboys. But the possible key to a Packers victory might be getting Aaron Jones involved early and often. If Jones and the Packers offensive line can show they can run the ball early, it will open up Love and the play-action passing attack. Jones has proven he is still the Packers biggest weapon, now it will be up to Matt LaFleur to get him the ball.
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