Why the Packers are better than last year: O edition

[RashanGary]

More versatility and 2nd year in the system.

Guys who already have report in the offense, witb the QB - Adams/A Jones/Lazard

That alone made for a highly functional offense. But we have a whole list of guys who are at ages and stages where you would expect growth. MVS, Funchess over Allison, Sternberger, EQ and then the big running back along with firey tight end from this year's draft. Also, Jamal Williams and his trainer are all over twitter. Guy is working hard on running pass routes this offeason and looks in great shape.

Good OL stability. A lot of OL depth. And a bunch of pieces now who can bring run or pass to the table on any given down.

I expect to see Aaron and company take something that was already good to a new level as everyone settles in and masters the details of their versatile roles in this balanced run/pass offense.

Didn't lose anyone of note. Bunch of young guys growing in their roles. A couple higher draft picks. BETTER! And being in the second year in the system, all the teams installing new systems at a big disadvantage this shortened off-season. So there is some circumstantial reason for improvment over the competition as well!

[pbmax]

Didn't lose anyone of note.

Bulaga?

[Joemailman]

There is some reason for cautious optimism. Funchess, a healthy ESB and a healthy MVS (he was hurt for much of the year). plus an established Lazard should make for a better WR corp. Matt Ryan had the best year of his career in his 2nd year in with MLF. At TE, Sternberger and Deguara will give MLF more of what he's looking for from the TE/HB position. When teams want to play heavy on defense to take away Aaron Jones, they'll have to deal with Dillon. Just a lot more versatility in this offense than what we saw last year.

[Upnorth]

There is no denying the o should improve. 2nd year of system with a young group of wrs who should (should...) be improved. Likely better fun game, however we did lose buluga which is major imo.
I think we improved both our run game and our passing game.

[Joemailman]

There is no denying the o should improve. 2nd year of system with a young group of wrs who should (should...) be improved. Likely better fun game, however we did lose buluga which is major imo.
I think we improved both our run game and our passing game.

Well, who doesn't want to have fun? :D

They likely will have to adjust their blocking schemes some against some opponents. Can't always put Rick Wagner out on an island like you did with Bulaga.

[texaspackerbacker]

More versatility and 2nd year in the system.

Guys who already have report in the offense, witb the QB - Adams/A Jones/Lazard

That alone made for a highly functional offense. But we have a whole list of guys who are at ages and stages where you would expect growth. MVS, Funchess over Allison, Sternberger, EQ and then the big running back along with firey tight end from this year's draft. Also, Jamal Williams and his trainer are all over twitter. Guy is working hard on running pass routes this offeason and looks in great shape.

Good OL stability. A lot of OL depth. And a bunch of pieces now who can bring run or pass to the table on any given down.

I expect to see Aaron and company take something that was already good to a new level as everyone settles in and masters the details of their versatile roles in this balanced run/pass offense.

Didn't lose anyone of note. Bunch of young guys growing in their roles. A couple higher draft picks. BETTER! And being in the second year in the system, all the teams installing new systems at a big disadvantage this shortened off-season. So there is some circumstantial reason for improvment over the competition as well!

Another breath of fresh air, RG. Staying the same would be great; Being just a little bit better is ..... just a little bit better.

The 2019 model Bulaga will be missed - a little bit anyway, but heaven knows we got along without him a lot over the years. Bottom line of the O Line situation, as I see it, Aaron Rodgers has literally never had decent pass blocking, and he's still the GOAT. As for run blocking, it certainly seemed to me that Aaron Jones and Williams got most of their yardage on inside zone plays and seldom had success running over Bulaga.

The only disturbing thing about your post is your thing in the first line - "2nd year in the system". I think they did so well last season in spite of, not because of LaFleur new system. The success came primarily from getting away from it and doing things the Aaron Rodgers way. I expect more of the same this year.

[Joemailman]

Another breath of fresh air, RG. Staying the same would be great; Being just a little bit better is ..... just a little bit better.

The 2019 model Bulaga will be missed - a little bit anyway, but heaven knows we got along without him a lot over the years. Bottom line of the O Line situation, as I see it, Aaron Rodgers has literally never had decent pass blocking, and he's still the GOAT. As for run blocking, it certainly seemed to me that Aaron Jones and Williams got most of their yardage on inside zone plays and seldom had success running over Bulaga.

The only disturbing thing about your post is your thing in the first line - "2nd year in the system". I think they did so well last season in spite of, not because of LaFleur new system. The success came primarily from getting away from it and doing things the Aaron Rodgers way. I expect more of the same this year.

If last year was the result of doing things the Aaron Rodgers Way, perhaps they need to go with MLF's system more. Packers were 15th in points scored, 18th in total yardage, 17th in passing yards, 15th in rushing yards, 16th in 1st downs, etc. Is that what you mean by "so well"?

[texaspackerbacker]

No, I mean 13-3 and the NFC finals.

[Vincenzo]

No, I mean 13-3 and the NFC finals.
Ya, it’s pretty hard to improve on that, not to mention how well Aaron Jones did as our RB.
Nevertheless, I get what the OP is getting at, on paper there is certainly room for optimism.

[MadtownPacker]

The Packers are better than last year because they gave Rodgers a reality check.


https://youtu.be/5aAbOgdbTbM

[call_me_ishmael]

There is some reason for cautious optimism. Funchess, a healthy ESB and a healthy MVS (he was hurt for much of the year). plus an established Lazard should make for a better WR corp. Matt Ryan had the best year of his career in his 2nd year in with MLF. At TE, Sternberger and Deguara will give MLF more of what he's looking for from the TE/HB position. When teams want to play heavy on defense to take away Aaron Jones, they'll have to deal with Dillon. Just a lot more versatility in this offense than what we saw last year.

To be fair WRT to Matt Ryan, I think the talent the Falcons had of offense was much better than what the Packers have. They smoked a Packers team that I view as very similar in a lot of ways as far as talent, speed, etc. That team was so fast!

[George Cumby]

This could very well be that cliche season: they improved as a team but their record didn't. It's really hard to improve on 13-3. They weren't that good.

[texaspackerbacker]

That could happen - although I would think not by much. Aside from sheer bad luck like injuries, etc., the reason it could happen is that our schedule appears to be tougher than last year.

[pbmax]

Why they are not better than last year: they keep hiring quality control people to serve as WR coaches

Jason Vrable

fter a 13-3 regular-season campaign and a trip to the NFC championship game, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur made some changes on his coaching staff. Secondary coach Jason Simmons left to take a similar position in Carolina and LaFleur fired wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted in January.

In their places, LaFleur hired veteran coach Jerry Gray to take over the secondary and promoted Jason Vrable to coach the receivers. Vrable spent last year as an offensive assistant for the Packers and Gray had coached the Minnesota Vikings secondary for the last six seasons before being fired at the end of last year. A four-time Pro Bowl cornerback for the Rams, he served as defensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills (2001-05) and the Tennessee Titans (2011-13).

Quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy also earned a promotion, adding passing game coordinator to his résumé. LaFleur also hired longtime college and NFL offensive line coach Butch Barry as a senior analyst.

https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2020/05/29/green-bay-packers-coach-matt-lafleur-gushes-over-jerry-gray-hire/5267300002/

[Sparkey]

Why they are not better than last year: they keep hiring quality control people to serve as WR coaches

Jason Vrable




https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2020/05/29/green-bay-packers-coach-matt-lafleur-gushes-over-jerry-gray-hire/5267300002/


Of note, both Getsy and Vrable were successful college qb's. Getsy at Akron and Vrable at Marietta.

Getsy, the new passing game coordinator and Vrable, WR coach , should work well together as I assume they both will be working from a QB point of view with regards to receiver routes, etc.

[pbmax]

Of note, both Getsy and Vrable were successful college qb's. Getsy at Akron and Vrable at Marietta.

Getsy, the new passing game coordinator and Vrable, WR coach , should work well together as I assume they both will be working from a QB point of view with regards to receiver routes, etc.

Its impossible to know how good these guys are without a large frame of reference and the ability to see with how they develop the less talented and refine the gifted.

I was also worried that Vrable is related to Matt Vrabel but that doesn't appear to be the case.

But long gone, except possibly at O line, are the times were true technicians manned the assistant coaching ranks. Its more scheme oriented now with less practice time.

So I have no idea how good he might be. But its not obviously a step forward.

[Joemailman]

Packers save about 3 million on salary cap by redoing Lane Taylor's contract. Lower base salary. Can Earn incentives. Now have about 14 million in salary cap room.

[texaspackerbacker]

Pre-injury Lane Taylor was better than Billy Turner. and you wouldn't think a torn tricep with a year to heal would slow him down at this point. So I guess there is reason to hope.

[pbmax]

Pre-injury Lane Taylor was better than Billy Turner. and you wouldn't think a torn tricep with a year to heal would slow him down at this point. So I guess there is reason to hope.

Yep. He got better each year until those injuries.

[RashanGary]

Yep. He got better each year until those injuries.

More consistent for sure. Billy wiffs too often.

[RashanGary]

I'd be happy to cut ties with Billy turner. Spend that money on Kevin King

[pbmax]

How to help the O? Play better D.

https://247sports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/Article/Packers-defense-can-bolster-offense-by-avoiding-identity-crisis-147804006/


Football Outsiders found play-action does decrease in efficiency when teams are less likely to pass, which includes being down. That may seem like a "duh" moment, but considering a good run game would intuitively create better play-action success, and the stats don't bear that out, it's important to note. Mike McCarthy didn't care enough about the run game to worry too much about this kind of script. LaFleur's offense relies on it at is very core.

Fewer turnovers by the O would help. Especially in California.

The article also, obliquely, points to a potential problem with the plan to help the offense with run/pass flexibility while going the economical route with improving the WR corp.

If the Packers fall behind to good teams again, you will see 11 personnel again, just like last year. This won't be a team built for a comeback unless they hit on a couple of player development cases or Funchess delivers.

[RashanGary]

Lafleur doesn't really have an offense. Every place he's been it's looked different based on the players and opponents.

One principle he likes to use when he has the players to run it, is the outside zone setting up boots and back side passes/runs/jet action

He also likes to use inside zones to set up RPOs and stuff falling behind crashing linebackers.

He also likes to let AR pick apart a defense

He also likes to let Derrick Henry run wild

He'll do a lot of different things depending on situation.

Of all of the shannahan tree, Lafleur ran the least amount of outside zone Last year. I think if he has an identity it's that he has an open mind to what his players do best.

[texaspackerbacker]

That's called being smart enough to adapt to his personnel and ego-less enough to subordinate what he maybe prefers to do.

I would suggest that running outside zone is not a very good with the OTs that we have.

Hopefully LaFleur doesn't get impatient this year and rides his GOAT and his other Aaron like he did last season. That and just a little bit of improvement in the WRs should make for a nice season offensively.

Last year, most of the successful inside zone runs were over Jenkins and Linsley. I'm hoping another area of improvement is Lane Taylor instead of Billy Turner so we can have some success over right guard and center this year too.

[RashanGary]

i pretty much agree with ya Tex. I'd be cool to cut Turner outright if Taylor is healthy

[Joemailman]

Turner isn't going anywhere this year for a couple of reasons. First, it would actually cost the Packers some salary cap room. Second, his ability to play OT gives him some value, especially considering the Packers lack of depth at that position. Now, if he has another sub-par year, he'll be gone. Packers would save about 3.5 million on he cap by releasing him after this year.

[Joemailman]

Lafleur doesn't really have an offense. Every place he's been it's looked different based on the players and opponents.

One principle he likes to use when he has the players to run it, is the outside zone setting up boots and back side passes/runs/jet action

He also likes to use inside zones to set up RPOs and stuff falling behind crashing linebackers.

He also likes to let AR pick apart a defense

He also likes to let Derrick Henry run wild

He'll do a lot of different things depending on situation.

Of all of the shannahan tree, Lafleur ran the least amount of outside zone Last year. I think if he has an identity it's that he has an open mind to what his players do best.

He moved away from outside zone last year because it wasn't working. Aaron Jones seemed to be better at running inside. I think he'll take another stab at establishing outside zone. Still, if inside zone continues to be what Aaron Jones does best, we'll continue to see it. The thing is, the bootlegs and misdirection that Lafleur would like to do is set up better by an outside zone running threat.

[texaspackerbacker]

Turner isn't going anywhere this year for a couple of reasons. First, it would actually cost the Packers some salary cap room. Second, his ability to play OT gives him some value, especially considering the Packers lack of depth at that position. Now, if he has another sub-par year, he'll be gone. Packers would save about 3.5 million on he cap by releasing him after this year.

Are you sure about that?

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/billy-turner-14477/

This year, you might be right. The cap hit would be $4 million + keeping him and $2 1/4 million bonus proration dumping him. Even there, though, if you consider that his roster spot would go to Taylor at a little over a million or one of the rookies at maybe a million or less, we might be better off. There would, of course, be dead money for 2 more years from that bonus, $2 1/4 million each, but we would be saving $4 million + and $5 million + salary those years too.

So if he is that bad - that somebody for a small fraction of his money can do the same or better, and it certainly seems like that is the case, then unload him.

[RashanGary]

Joe, just looked at the contract. Yeah. Stuck with him. Let's hope the young guys make it real easy to part ways after this year .

[mraynrand]

He moved away from outside zone last year because it wasn't working. Aaron Jones seemed to be better at running inside. I think he'll take another stab at establishing outside zone. Still, if inside zone continues to be what Aaron Jones does best, we'll continue to see it. The thing is, the bootlegs and misdirection that Lafleur would like to do is set up better by an outside zone running threat.

It was the blocking on the outside zone that was the problem mostly, right? (and the inside blocking of LeRoy Jenkins that was good)? And Williams was not so hot outside zone running. But I think maybe Jones can run outside zone with decent blocking? Will the rookie force them into more inside zone or will they push more outside zone with Jones?