5 Reasons for Optimism with 2022 Green Bay Packers
By Paul Bretl
Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, and Robert Tonyan are still on the Green Bay Packers
Understandably so, much of the attention this offseason has been on the wide receiver position, but it’s also not as if this offense is void of playmaking ability without Davante Adams.
Jones and Dillon form possibly the best running back duo in the NFL. Combined last season, the two rushed for over 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns, with Jones averaging 4.7 yards per carry and Dillon 4.3. They also did this while playing behind a banged-up offensive line.
We also can’t forget to mention these two when discussing the passing game. In each of the last three seasons, Jones has finished second on the team in targets, while in 2021, Dillon caught 34 of his 37 targets at 9.2 yards per catch with two touchdowns.
Robert Tonyan will also be returning, and it sounds like that will be sooner than later. Although from a production standpoint, last season began a bit slowly for him prior to his injury, in part, that was because he was asked to block more–again, due to all of the injuries up front.
But his presence was very much missed last season, both over the middle of the field and in the red zone. In 2020, Tonyan caught 52 of his 59 pass attempts for almost 600 yards and 11 touchdowns.
No, Jones, Dillon, and Tonyan aren’t receivers, but in football, the name of the game is getting the ball into the hands of your playmakers–and each of these players are that.