Packers: Offense has potential to be one of the best ever
By Dan Kasper
The 2015 Green Bay Packers offense has every right to believe they could set records this upcoming season.
Not just team records. League records.
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No doubt, it will be extremely hard to repeat what the Packers did in 2011 and replicate all that firepower they had. Remember when Aaron Rodgers had Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Jermichael Finley all as targets in one given year? Wow!
Green Bay doesn’t quite have the name talent like those guys possessed, but don’t overlook this team on the offensive side.
Looking at the roster, one might think this team will put up some decent numbers with the offense. Every Packers team will have that chance as long as Aaron Rodgers is the quarterback and that is absolutely true. It also helps that he has Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to throw to.
However, if you listen to Mike McCarthy and Rodgers, there is one guy whom fans and the league should take notice of and that’s Davante Adams.
McCarthy called Adams the MVP of the offseason. Rodgers said Adams is a future star. Adams had a solid rookie season last year, but if he can back up those words from his coach and quarterback, the league is in trouble with that passing attack.
But Rodgers also mentioned another weapon the Packers have in their arsenal and that’s Andrew Quarless.
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Quarless has been up and down throughout his young career and hasn’t really been as productive the Packers would have liked by now. Yet, Quarless has worked extremely hard this offseason and his quarterback is taking notice. So much so that Rodgers has said that Quarless has taken the jump.
So the weak spot on the Packers offense sounds like it has been upgraded at the tight end position if Quarless truly has taken that next step. The fact Quarless has Rodgers seal of approval so far means Rodgers will be looking towards Quarless’s way more often this upcoming season. Yet, another weapon for the Packers.
Don’t sleep on rookie Ty Montgomery. He’s been termed a “bigger Randall Cobb” and he finally hit the practice field at minicamps and already looked like he hasn’t missed a step.
Being compared to Cobb is obviously a compliment for Montgomery, but it’s something other teams don’t want to hear. We have all seen how well Cobb plays in the Packers system and adding a bigger version of a Cobb in that system could be scary, or fun to watch depending on your cheering preference.
Then, there is Jeff Janis. McCarthy expected Janis to take a step up this offseason and he’s been getting his opportunities in practice with Jordy Nelson not practicing fully yet. Janis is a little bit bigger than Nelson, but you can make the argument he is faster. Being big and fast are great traits to have if you play wide receiver in the NFL.
Janis has said he’s now working on earning Rodgers trust so that the quarterback will look his way more. If Janis can earn Rodgers trust and performs at a high level, the Packers receiving core will be multidimensional that you won’t know what’s coming.
I haven’t even mentioned Eddie Lacy, who is one of the top running backs in the league. Pairing one of the top running backs with the best quarterback and two Pro Bowl receivers is impressive enough. But adding good role players like Adams, Montgomery, Quarless, and Janis just makes it unfair to the other teams.
Don’t forget about James Starks, who is an above average backup running back and provides a solid change of pace style.
Let’s not forget how crucial the offensive line is as well. If they can stay healthy, the line will only be better than what they were last year. They’re a solid run blocking unit and take pride in protecting their franchise quarterback. The Packers success on offense starts up front with them.
We have established that the Packers have an extreme amount of talent on their roster on the offensive side of the ball, but that alone doesn’t break records.
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I fully expect to see a little different Packers offense this season. I think we’re all going to see a more creative, confusing offense because the Packers are able to do that with all the talent and multidimensional players they have.
When you have players that can do multiple things and a coaching staff that puts players in position to succeed and can become creative with the call sheet, it sets that offense up to be dynamic.
So dynamic, it could be record breaking.
Don’t be surprised to see the Packers break records on offense this year. On paper and from what we have seen or heard about in OTA’s and minicamps, this may be the most complete offense the Packers have had in quite some time. The offense has had its surplus of weapons, but the balance on this team is far better than it has been in a while.
Can you imagine if you’re playing defense against this team and Rodgers comes to the line of scrimmage with Nelson, Cobb, Lacy, Adams, and either Montgomery, Quarless, or Janis? How do you stop that?
I’m not so sure many defenses can.
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