Green Bay Packers: The All-Decade Team

With the NFL releasing its top 100 team, and the end of the decade quickly approaching, here’s a look at the best players from the last decade for the Green Bay Packers.

The 2010’s are coming to an end, and it was quite the decade for the Green Bay Packers. 2011 marked the best regular season in franchise history, they played for three NFC title games (2010, 2014, 2016), and most notably they brought home the franchises 4th Lombardi Trophy.

It has not always been perfect, but the Packers were one of the most successful franchises of the 2010s.

For the purpose of constructing this team, I have a first team at each position and I will also include some of the sub-package positions such as slot receiver and slot cornerback.

So let’s dive in and take a look at the Green Bay Packers team of the decade.

QB: Aaron Rodgers

Breakdown: This one was easy. It was either Aaron Rodgers or the group of players that poorly replaced him. Rodgers is a two-time MVP this past decade, taking home honors in 2011 and 2014. He easily could have been the MVP in 2016 and he was potentially on his way to an MVP caliber season in 2017 before he broke his collarbone.

Rodgers hasn’t put up the gaudy numbers under Matt LaFleur but he appears to be revitalized in this offense and by this team. They were able to win one Super Bowl and blew the chance at playing for another in 2014. At this point in Rodgers’ career it is much less about stats and more about winning. He’s said as much several times this season.

RB: Aaron Jones

Breakdown: It was either Jones or Eddie Lacy for this spot. With all due respect to Lacy, and he did change the offense when he arrived in 2013, Jones is special. I don’t think Lacy at his best was ever the special type of runner that we’ve seen Jones is. He’s likely to set the team’s single season record for touchdowns in a season and whether it be in the running game or passing game, he has been difficult to stop.

Jones’ biggest issue has been misuse. Mike McCarthy under utilized him and while Matt LaFleur has done a better job at making him the starter, he could still get more touches per game. For 2019, he’s the team’s best offensive weapon and Lacy was never that. Which is why Jones gets the nod here.

WR: Jordy Nelson

WR: Davante Adams

SLWR: Greg Jennings

Breakdown: I’m cheating to a degree here, but Jennings was an absolute assassin from the slot. His contributions to the Super Bowl XLV team will not be forgotten. Even if the ending was bad, his time in Green Bay was very good.

One of the best sound bytes from Super Bowl XLV takes place before Jennings’ first touchdown. Someone on the Steelers’ sideline is yelling that the ball is going to 85. The Steelers knew what was coming, and they still couldn’t stop it. That’s how good he was at his peak.

Meanwhile, Nelson and Adams were easy picks. Nelson was Rodgers’ most trusted weapon. His 2011 season was great and his 2014 season was at an elite level. He got a lot of flak for “not being a true number 1” but he was a great player. Not to mention that he’s a sure-fire Packers’ Hall of Famer.

Adams is not too far behind him. Save for his injury riddled 2015 season, he’s been a star. Adams and Nelson have personified professionalism since walking through the door in Green Bay. A sure-fire positive for the Green Bay Packers that has not gone unnoticed.

TE Jermichael Finley

Breakdown: Studying the tight end position was pretty sad. Finley didn’t make it through the majority of the decade because of his neck injury that ended his career. That said, there really are no other candidates for the spot. Richard Rodgers has one of the iconic plays in franchise history, but he did very little to change the game. Jimmy Graham has been a free agent bust. Finley gets the nod

LT David Bakhtiari

LG Josh Sitton

C Corey Linsley

RG TJ Lang

RT Bryan Bulaga

Breakdown: The 2014 offensive line truly was special and they were together for essentially the entire season. Bakhtiari has been an All-Pro level player, while Sitton and Lang were an excellent tandem at each of the guard spots. Bulaga remains rock solid to this day and although Linsley has a bit of an argument with Scott Wells, he’s been more consistent.

DL Kenny Clark

DL BJ Raji

DL Cullen Jenkins

Breakdown: Jenkins gets the nod because his 2010 season really was that special. His importance was realized after the pass rush went to hell in 2011 upon his departure.

Raji has an iconic play from the decade as his interception returned for a touchdown in Chicago will live in Packers’ lore forever.

Then we have Kenny Clark who is a cog on the current team. He’s played at an All-Pro level at times and the national audience is starting to learn his name.

EDGE: Clay Matthews

EDGE: Za’Darius Smith

Breakdown: Matthews was the best player on a defense that won a Super Bowl. He should have been named Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, but the award was mistakenly given to Troy Polamalu. Matthews was a lightning rod for criticism, but he did what was best for the team by moving around the defense. And his move to inside linebacker in 2014 should have helped propel them to the Super Bowl.

Za’Darius Smith gets the nod despite not having played a full season yet over guys like Nick Perry and Julius Peppers. That’s because he’s been that impactful. He changed the culture of the defense. No to mention that he should also be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-Pro consideration. Big Z has the Green Bay Packers’ defense in good hands.

LB: Desmond Bishop

LB: AJ Hawk

Breakdown: Certainly not a strong position for the Green Bay Packers as has been noted by essentially every fan in the fan base. Hawk was a solid, but not spectacular player. Bishop broke onto the field in 2010 after Nick Barnett suffered a season ending injury. He recovered a huge fumble forced by Clay Matthews in Super Bowl XLV. And although Blake Martinez garnered some consideration, ultimately I went with the two players mentioned above.

CB: Sam Shields

CB: Tramon WIlliams

SLCB:  Charles Woodson

Breakdown: Simply put, the secondary from the 2010 Super Bowl team. Charles Woodson is the best defensive back ever as far as I’m concerned. While Shields and Williams were both legitimate cover corners in their prime.

Shields was still playing at a high level when his career in Green Bay was cut short by concussions and Williams still is playing well to this day. Williams, of course, authored the best play in the history of the minds of Packers fans 28 and under. He broke up the final pass of Super Bowl XLV and ensured the Packers would bring home their 13th world championship.

S: Nick Collins

S Adrian Amos

Breakdown: Let’s pour one out for Nick Collins. He may have been the best safety in football at the time of his untimely retirement. He had a pick-six in the Super Bowl and was a ball hawk that the Green Bay Packers have not had since, perhaps that’s something that Darnell Savage can become, but he hasn’t hit that level yet.

Adrian Amos makes the list because the safety position has largely been a wasteland. Amos has been the solid player that everyone knew they were getting. He’s also been the playmaker that many asserted the Packers were not getting. Amos has been worth every penny and he gets the nod over Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

K Mason Crosby

Breakdown: I mean, there weren’t any other options. Crosby has been rock solid for the Green Bay Packers. His best moment easily came in Dallas in 2015 when he hit two 50+ yard field goals to knock the Cowboys out of the playoffs.