Packers Need Breakout Seasons From Third-Year Players

It's not just the Year 2 players who must make big gains. The Year 3 players, including 2021 Packers draft picks Josh Myers, TJ Slaton and Eric Stokes, need to take steps forward, as well.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jun 2, 2023 11:44 AM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Coaches talk about second-year jumps so frequently that it’s practically joined death and taxes as the three sure things in life.

“Devonte, Year 1 to Year 2, I expect a massive jump for him,” Green Bay Packers defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery said of Devonte Wyatt, the second of last year’s first-round picks.

What about players in Year 3? Those players can take big leaps, as well.

Aaron Jones had his first 1,000-yard season and led the NFL in touchdowns during his third season. Davante Adams went from a total of four touchdowns in his first two seasons to 12 in his third. Rashan Gary went from a total of seven sacks in his first two seasons to 9.5 in his third.

Pro Football Focus listed 10 third-year players who could have breakout seasons in 2023. While no Packers made the list, this will be a huge season for the six remaining members of their nine-man 2021 draft class. Here they are, ranked.

Second round: C Josh Myers

The coaches have said Myers will have to fight to keep his starting job. It was a startling statement. A second-round pick – and the first center selected – should have the starting job on total lockdown.

In 2022, Myers allowed three sacks and provided so-so run blocking. The second center off the board, the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey allowed zero sacks, delivered superb run blocking and was named All-Pro.

“That he’s not meeting our expectations, that’s not what we’re talking about,” offensive line coach Luke Butkus said at the start of OTAs.

During the two practices open to reporters, Myers took all the first-team reps.

Fifth round: DT TJ Slaton

Defensive tackle TJ Slaton (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry weren’t Pro Bowlers or game-wreckers but they delivered about 1,200 quality snaps last year. The Packers let them go in free agency and are elevating Slaton and Wyatt into the starting lineup.

Slaton averaged about 20 snaps per game last season. When he was good, he was excellent. Slaton had seven stuffs – a tackle at or behind the line vs. the run – which was one more than two-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark in 149 fewer run-defending snaps.

“I had high expectations for T.J. last year and I don’t think he played those consistently, but he showed flashes,” Montgomery said at the start of OTAs.

For Green Bay’s run defense to finally show some fangs, it will be up to Slaton to find that consistency.

First round: CB Eric Stokes

The Year 2 jump isn’t universal. Stokes was brilliant as a rookie. According to Sports Info Solutions, he allowed a 46.2 percent completion rate and 5.3 yards per target in 2021. Both figures ranked among the NFL leaders. His encore was a huge disappointment. In 2022, he allowed a 73.9 percent completion rate with 10.8 yards per target. He went from 13 pass breakups to zero.

Last season ended with knee and foot injuries; the foot injury had him on the sideline for the start of OTAs, though coach Matt LaFleur thought Stokes might take part in individual drills before the spring workouts are complete.

For now, the Packers will roll with Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas as the corners and Keisean Nixon as the slot. That leaves Stokes on the outside looking in – for now. Remember, Alexander missed most of 2021 and Stokes missed most of 2022, so a backup can go from 0-to-60 – not miles per hour but snaps per game – in a hurry.

Sixth round: LB Isaiah McDuffie

LB Isaiah McDuffie (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

The road to a starting job is closed with De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker manning the middle, but McDuffie had a really strong second season. His 5.8 snaps per tackle was better than Campbell and Walker, and he tied for the team lead in tackles on special teams.

If either of the starters were out of the lineup, the Packers would feel good about McDuffie moving into the lineup.

Fourth round: G Royce Newman

There were sharply divided opinions on Newman coming out of Ole Miss. “He can literally line up in all five spots but I don’t think he’d be good at any of them,” one scout said.

That’s kind of been his story in the NFL. Newman started 16 games as a rookie and six games in 2022. In both cases, he was a Week 1 starter who wound up getting benched. He was terrible against the Jets last year, his final start of the season and perhaps his Packers career.

With the ascension of 2022 fourth-rounder Zach Tom, Newman at best is the team’s seventh lineman. That’s still an important role, so long as he can hold off three players who were rookies last year: 2022 third-rounder Sean Rhyan, 2022 seventh-rounder Rasheed Walker and hulking Caleb Jones. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he’ll be traded by the end of training camp.

Fifth round: CB Shemar Jean-Charles

Jean-Charles was running with the starters at Wednesday’s OTA, though that was because the projected starting trio of Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Keisean Nixon was absent and Eric Stokes was out. Last season, Jean-Charles played in only six games and logged three snaps on defense. A big-time playmaker in college, this will be a make-or-break training camp, not just for his spot on the Packers but his place in the league.

Also: Jake Hanson, Patrick Taylor

RB Patrick Taylor (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

Hanson was a sixth-round pick in 2020 but is officially a third-year player after spending his rookie year on the practice squad. He started last year’s opener, barely played the next five games and missed the rest of the season due to an injury that had him on the sideline for the start of OTAs. Who’s the better option as a backup center? Hanson or 2022 third-rounder Sean Rhyan?

Taylor went undrafted in 2020 and sat out his rookie season due to a foot injury sustained in college. When needed, he’s delivered some quality snaps. The competition will be strong, though, with seventh-round rookie Lew Nichols and explosive Tyler Goodson. Every draft pick the last two years has made the opening 53, so Taylor will have to prove he’s better than Nichols.