Predicting Packers 3 most impactful newcomers in 2021 season

The Green Bay Packers will look to get over the NFC Championship hump they’ve been stuck on for two consecutive years now. They don’t have far to go with a lot of their necessary improvements coming internally and with some better play at key times from their returning players. However, they’ll need some newcomers to step up and impact the game as well.

Considering Green Bay used their available salary cap money to re-sign their own players, most (if not all) of their newcomers are of the rookie variety. And although it’s a tall task to rely on rookies to contribute right away, there are a few players who could be up to the challenge. Without further ado, here are the three Packers’ newcomers who will make the biggest impact in the 2021 season.

These three newcomers to the Green Bay Packers will have the biggest impact on their new team in the 2021 season.

3. Tedarrel Slaton

I almost went with 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes here, but not for any contributions he might make on defense. Stokes figures to be a key special teams player in Year 1 and will likely be on the punt, punt return and kickoff coverage units. Green Bay’s special teams ranked fourth-worst a season ago according to PFF and Stokes’s presence on those units should help mightily.

Back to Tedarrel Slaton. Green Bay’s defense ranked 21st in average yards per rush and didn’t make any major adjustments to their linebacking corps or upfront. Slaton, a fifth-round pick, should be able to contribute on early downs and cause a ripple effect for the rest of the defense. At 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds, he’s a big body who will eat up blockers and create easier holes for the young linebackers to run through. That should help tremendously considering Krys Barnes and Kamal Martin flashed intriguing potential a season ago, but are young, inexperienced and raw. He won’t play often, but he’ll have an impact on his teammates when he is on the field.

2. Josh Myers

Josh Myers figures to be the Packers’ starting center from Day 1 by replacing Corey Linsley in the lineup. He won’t be anywhere close to Linsley’s level right away, but will provide Green Bay with a quality player in the middle of their offensive line. Myers’ steady play, anchored by Elgton Jenkins elite status right next to him, will ensure the Packers’ don’t fall completely off the wagon without their All Pro center.

1. Amari Rodgers

Amari Rodgers will have an intriguing and unique impact on the Packers despite being a third-round pick. He’ll likely be the primary kick and punt returner, play the Tyler Ervin role motioning all over the field, receive handoffs out of the backfield and catch bubble screens and short crossers across the field. Oufta, I’m tired just typing that all out.

Head coach Matt LaFleur will have a lot of fun designing an offense that incorporates the skills Rodgers brings to the field and the distractions he can provide to defenses. Rodgers may not put up huge numbers on offense, but you can expect to hear his name called a lot.