The Green Bay Packers Have A Need For Speed
The Green Bay Packers must find a way to upgrade their speed on both sides of the ball if they want to take another step forward.
One of the major differences between the Green Bay Packers and the two Super Bowl competitors (the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs) is speed. Or lack thereof if we’re talking about the Packers.
On offense, the Chiefs sport speedsters Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Damien Williams and Travis Kelce. Sammy Watkins is no slouch either. The 49ers can also hold their own, as Rhaeem Mostert, Matt Breida, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle all put pressure on opposing defenses.
That’s a stark contrast to Green Bay’s situation. The Packers have…Marquez Valdes-Scantling as their lone field-stretching option? Although Davante Adams and Aaron Jones are certainly dynamic in their own right, they don’t apply the same type of pressure on defenses.
Behind Adams and Jones, the Packers are snails compared to the top teams in the NFL. Jake Kumerow, Geronimo Allison, Allan Lazard and Jimmy Graham might as well move at a glacier’s pace.
General manager Brian Gutekunst must address this speed issue in the offseason. He has some money to spend in free agency and he could very well target a skill position. If he does, he’d be wise to find someone who can help Green Bay stretch the field. That would benefit everyone from Adams to Jones to Aaron Rodgers.
Gutekunst could also use his draft picks to add additional speed on both sides of the ball. It’s highly likely the Packers add a wide receiver early in the draft and there are plenty of speedsters available at that position.
He’ll probably also have to address middle linebacker and could replace the lead-footed Blake Martinez with a more athletic player. Martinez is infamous for making tackles four yards past the line of scrimmage–not something you’d prefer from such an important position.
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However he chooses to do so, it’s clear Gutekunst needs to put a faster team on the field next season. The Packers’ future hangs in the balance.