The Green Bay Packers, once the hunted, now find themselves as the hunters, aiming to establish their worth to the rest of the NFL. The aura of Aaron Rodgers and championship aspirations has faded, replaced by an untested, youthful squad.
As the spotlight shifts, it’ll be intriguing to see how the Packers handle this transition and approach the upcoming season. Opposing teams will undoubtedly relish the chance to exploit the historic franchise during its period of transformation.
Yet, there is an alternative narrative that can unfold. Green Bay has the potential to field a formidable team and rack up some Ws in 2023. To achieve this, there are three players who must step up and demonstrate their value as training camp looms. Their performances will be pivotal in shaping the team’s fortunes and proving that the Packers remain a force to be reckoned with.
These three players on the Green Bay Packers have the most to prove, either personally or to the team, ahead of training camp.
Darnell Savage
Darnell Savage’s career began with promise as he swiftly established himself as the Packers’ starting safety. He delivered a couple of strong seasons, most notably showcasing his best football during the latter half of 2020. Teaming up with Adrian Amos, they formed one of the NFL’s more formidable safety duos.
Unfortunately, Savage struggled to sustain that elevated level of play and experienced a significant decline. Following his impressive 72.1 PFF Grade in 2020 (ranking 17th among 94 eligible safeties), his performance dipped to 57.3 in 2021 (placing him 72nd out of 92) and further plummeted to 47.5 in 2022 (ranking 87th out of 88).
Savage’s presence on the team stems from Green Bay’s lack of viable alternatives at safety, leaving them unable to save money by waiving or trading him. With just one year remaining on his contract, Savage faces a pivotal opportunity to prove his worth to himself, the Packers, and the rest of the NFL. The upcoming season will serve as a decisive moment to demonstrate whether he should continue his football career beyond this point.
Jaire Alexander
Jaire Alexander, having secured the richest bag in NFL history for his position with an average annual value of $21 million. And with great payments comes great responsibility.
Despite contending with injuries in the 2021 season, Alexander fully recovered in 2022 and displayed a solid performance, concluding the year as PFF’s eighth-ranked cornerback. However, it’s worth noting that he is not being compensated as the eighth-highest earner; he holds the highest salary among cornerbacks. Alexander possesses another level of play within him, and the Packers rely on him to reach that pinnacle to fully unlock their potential.
Jordan Love
Jordan Love plays the most important position in football, but he remains a bit of a mystery as training camp approaches. While we’ve seen glimpses of his skills during practices, he has yet to have a full game plan designed around him or the opportunity to work as the starting quarterback for an extended period.
There have been moments where Love has shown great potential, giving hope that he can become a solid starting quarterback. It’s important to set realistic expectations and not expect him to immediately match Aaron Rodgers’ level of play. However, Love has the chance to forge his own path and establish a successful career in his own right. As he takes the reins, he has the opportunity to write his own story and leave a lasting impact on the Packers and the NFL.