PFF Rankings Show Packers Are Loaded at Skill Positions
GREEN BAY, Wis. – With a premier quarterback, receiver and running back, it’s little wonder why the Green Bay Packers were No. 1 in the NFL in scoring in 2020 and should be superb again in 2021 (you know, with the obvious asterisk).
Pro Football Focus has rolled out a series of position rankings. The Packers are the only team in the NFL with a quarterback, receiver and running back in the top six in all three categories.
Aaron Rodgers is No. 3 among quarterbacks, behind only Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady. In winning his third MVP, Rodgers joined Steve Young as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era and Young and Sammy Baugh as the only quarterbacks since at least 1940 to win the “Percentage Triple Crown” of touchdown percentage, interception percentage and completion percentage.
“Rodgers is a stud, playing with timing and rhythm we haven’t seen from him in years,” PFF’s Bruce Gradkowski, a former NFL quarterback, wrote. “His average time to throw was his lowest in over a decade. The most impressive thing about Rodgers in 2020 was his patience with the offense and ability to let it work for him. He managed to stay on course and operate the attack while sprinkling in his playmaking ability. There is no doubt Green Bay is primed for a Super Bowl run, but that all depends on if the team can smooth over relations with Rodgers.”
Davante Adams is No. 1 among receivers. Adams caught 115 passes for 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns. He set the team record for receptions and tied Sterling Sharpe’s franchise mark for touchdowns – the third-most in NFL history. He became the first player with at least 100 receptions and 18 touchdowns in a season.
“Since 2017, when PFF began tracking single coverage data, no wide receiver has earned a higher grade or recorded more touchdowns (27) on such plays than Adams,” PFF’s Anthony Treash wrote. “As long as Aaron Rodgers is in town, Green Bay has the best QB-WR tandem in the NFL.”
Aaron Jones is No. 6 among running backs, behind Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook, Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey, Cleveland’s Nick Chubb and New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara. Among all backs in NFL history with at least 650 carries, Jones ranks sixth with a 5.17-yard average. As noted by PFF’s Sam Monson, Jones has averaged at least 3.0 yards after contact per carry in each of the last two seasons.
Robert Tonyan is only 15th among tight ends. Tonyan was a breakout star in 2020 with 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. Of the 34 tight ends who were targeted at least 40 times in the passing game, Tonyan was No. 1 in catch percentage (89.7), drop percentage (0.0) and passer rating (148.3), according to PFF. Ben Linsey, however, dinged Tonyan for having forced zero missed tackles.
