NFC North Insiders: Players Most Likely to Surprise

Our four NFC North beat writers get you ready for the 2022 NFL season with a series of previews. In Part 7 of our roundtable conversation, we take a look at some players who could exceed expectations.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jul 9, 2022 9:54 AM EDT

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When breaking down a team, it’s easy to focus on the stars.

The Green Bay Packers are driven by four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the Minnesota Vikings feature premier receiver Justin Jefferson. Or, it’s easy to focus on the up-and-comers. Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is coming off an excellent rookie season, and there are high hopes for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields as he enters Year 2.

Let’s go deeper. Our NFC North insiders – Bill Huber of Packer Central, Will Ragatz of Inside the Vikings, Gene Chamberlain of Bear Digest and John Maakaron of All Lions – get you ready for the 2022 NFL season with a 12-piece roundtable discussion. In Part 7 of this series, we focus on a player from each team who could surpass expectations.

Green Bay Packers: WR Amari Rodgers

It’s easy to overlook Rodgers. Trust me, I know through experience. Every time I sort through the contenders to help offset the loss of Davante Adams, I think about returning veterans Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. I think about veteran addition Sammy Watkins. And, of course, I consider the three draft picks: Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure.

It’s easy to forget about Rodgers. The Packers essentially did last season, after all. After trading for Cobb at the start of training camp, the third-round pick’s rookie season was shoved to the back burner. He caught 4-of-8 passes for 45 yards, including zero during the eight games preceding Week 18. On punt returns, he made fielding kicks the equivalent of one of those choose-your-own-adventure stories.

But Rodgers was a productive player at Clemson, and the Packers moved up in the third round to get him for a reason. He knows the offense, and he feels more fit after dropping a few pounds in the offseason.

Cobb – his longtime mentor – remains on the roster and will start training camp as the No. 1 in the slot. Cobb probably will open the season as a primary player but look for Rodgers, who is nine years younger than Cobb, to get more opportunities as the season progresses because he’s a much bigger threat with the ball in his hands. It was an incredibly small skill-set but he used his powerful build and short-area speed to lead the team’s receivers in YAC per catch last season.

Minnesota Vikings: TE Irv Smith Jr.

Last year was supposed to be a breakout season for Smith, the Vikings' second-round pick out of Alabama in 2019. He was one of the team's best players during training camp, making plays all over the field during live reps. Heading into his third season, Smith was poised to take advantage of his first opportunity to be the Vikings' No. 1 tight end.

Then he tore his meniscus, ending his season before it started.

One year later, Smith is healthy and ready to have the breakout season he didn't get to have in 2021. Because he was one of the youngest players in his draft class, Smith is entering his fourth season and doesn't turn 24 until the week leading into the Vikings' first preseason game. All of the talent and athleticism that made him a second-round pick is still there, just waiting to be unleashed in Kevin O'Connell's offense.

Smith put up a 66/676/7 line across his first two seasons in the NFL, essentially splitting time down the middle with veteran Kyle Rudolph. But Rudolph departed before last season, and now Tyler Conklin is gone, too. Smith stands alone as the only tight end on the Vikings' roster with more than 10 career receptions. In a contract year, he's expected to be a crucial piece in O'Connell's passing game this year.

I'm a big believer in Smith's ability and the matchup problems he can cause as a 6-foot-2, 240-pound pass-catcher with 4.6 speed. After flashing potential as a young player, this is the year Smith emerges as a dynamic weapon with Pro Bowl upside.

Chicago Bears: LB Nicholas Morrow

Already, Morrow is surprising everyone as one of the Bears’ free agent acquisitions who hasn't been arrested this offseason.

In all seriousness, Morrow seems to be made to play in this role of middle linebacker for the Tampa-2 defense that the Bears are going to use under coach Matt Eberflus. He was a college defensive back and has 4.52 speed in the 40. He's within .01 seconds of Roquan Smith, whose speed has made him possibly the best inside linebacker in the division. Linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi points out both play with that kind of speed and it's not merely a stopwatch time.

Morrow can play any linebacker spot. So, if the Bears choose to switch Smith from weak side to the middle, Morrow could go to the weak spot and make plays, or he could even play strong side with an emphasis on covering tight ends. But they're using him now in the middle.

With the Raiders, Morrow played in this style of defense and broke up 20 passes in four seasons, or three more than Smith, who was second-team All-Pro the last two seasons. Morrow could have even more at this point but missed last season with a preseason ankle injury, one which has long-since healed

The idea for the new defensive scheme is to create more takeaways, especially interceptions. The Bears tied a franchise-record low of eight interceptions last year, although the record they tied was for 16 games and this was for 17. Morrow could have a key part in changing all this. If it happens, and the Bears ever settle their offensive line issues, they could make more noise in the NFC North than people expect.

Detroit Lions: S Will Harris

Harris is being asked by the coaching staff to change positions and play cornerback in 2022.

Drafted in the third round in 2019, Harris has struggled to perform at a high level at the safety position. During the recently completed organized team activities and minicamp, Harris played alongside the rest of the first-team defense, as former first-round cornerback Jeff Okudah has been working his way back from an Achilles injury suffered at the beginning of last season.

The 26-year-old Harris appeared to adapt well to the switch in positions, as he was observed making plays and being in position for the majority of practice reps he was playing on the outside.

If he indeed earns a position playing nickel cornerback, Harris will have an opportunity to turn around his career. Injuries forced him into playing cornerback last season and, while it was a trial by fire as Sports Info Solutions charged him with a 72.7 percent catch rate, four touchdowns and zero passes defensed, he has embraced the opportunity to make plays in coordinator Aaron Glenn's defense.

"I was able to get a lot of exposure toward the end of last year, just playing strictly corner, and I feel comfortable doing that. That's another spot where I think I can just continue getting better and continue to learn all the intricacies of playing corner and wearing that hat," Harris recently said. "Obviously, being out in more space and facing some of the guys on the outside, I love it. It's pure competition out there and that's what you want to be, to go out and compete."

Get Ready for Packers Training Camp

NFC North Insiders

Get ready for the 2022 NFL season with our 12-part NFC North Insiders series, with stories running every Saturday and Sunday until training camp. Coming Sunday: the player most likely to disappoint.

Part 1: Team MVPs for each team on both sides of the ball.

Part 2: The biggest addition and loss for each team.

Part 3: Most overrated player for each team.

Part 4: Most underrated player for each team.

Part 5: Best-case scenarios

Part 6: Worst-case scenarios