Four Packers Finish in Top Five in Players’ All-Pro Team

Led by Kenny Clark at nose tackle, four members of the Green Bay Packers were among the top vote-getters in the inaugural Players’ All-Pro Team.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Feb 2, 2023 11:39 AM EST

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Under the pretense of, “For too long, we have allowed everyone else to define the best of us as players. That ends now,” the NFL Players Association created the Players’ All-Pro Team.

As explained by the NFLPA, “We asked players across the league to select who had the most impact this season. The players were tasked with voting for the best player at their same position and positions they line up against.” This All-Pro team was meant as a counter to the official All-Pro team, as voted on by The Associated Press.

Four members of the Green Bay Packers finished in the top five in the positional results, the NFLPA announced on Thursday. Here are those players, with their ranking in the voting in parentheses and the breakdowns coming from our season-ending report cards.

Left guard: Elgton Jenkins (fifth)

Coming off last year’s torn ACL, Jenkins made his debut in Week 2 at a new position – right tackle. In five games, he gave up two sacks, one quarterback hit and 12 total pressures, according to PFF.

Slow to acclimate, Jenkins was moved back to left guard – where he was a Pro Bowler in 2020. In 10 games at his new/old spot, he gave up one sack, no quarterback hits and five total pressures. Moreover, in the final seven games, he gave up just one pressure. The Packers gave him a late-season contract extension, locking up the team’s best free-agent-to-be through the 2026 season.

Nose tackle: Kenny Clark (second)

Clark was a Pro Bowler in 2021 with 48 tackles, including four sacks and six for losses, plus 13 quarterback hits in 16 games. In 2022, Clark finished with similar production – 53 tackles, four sacks, five tackles for losses and 10 quarterback hits.

The fact is, though, Clark didn’t have a Clark-like year. His dominating presence was felt at times. Just not often enough. He had five quarterback hits in the first three games, for instance, but none in the next six. He could be in line for a contract extension.

Cornerback: Jaire Alexander (third)

Alexander earned second-team AP All-Pro in 2020 and returned from last year’s shoulder injury to earn second-team All-Pro again.

After intercepting five passes in 48 games during his first four seasons, Alexander intercepted five passes in 16 games in 2022. He finished one off the NFL lead in interceptions and his 14 passes defensed were one out of the NFL’s top 10. His dominating performance vs. Minnesota in Week 17 needs to be the standard – Alexander’s as well as for defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

Kickoff returner: Keisean Nixon (second)

Choosing Atlanta’s Cordarrelle Patterson over Nixon as the kickoff returner was a black eye on the players’ vote.

Patterson, one of the best in NFL history, was back deep for 60 kickoffs but had only nine returns – a glitzy 31.6-yard average and one touchdown. The low return percentage was a byproduct of playing in a dome and opponents just bombing the ball out of the end zone.

Nixon, on the other hand, earned first-team AP All-Pro honors. He led the NFL with a 28.8-yard average. His five returns of 50-plus yards led the NFL, including a 93-yarder vs. Miami in Week 16 and a 105-yard touchdown vs. Minnesota in Week 17. His speed seemed to shock members of the coverage unit, so he either outran their angles or ran through their diving tackle attempts.

Nixon is headed to free agency. He might be the most important player on their wish list.

Here is the full Players’ All-Pro Team.