Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Who have the Packers lost this offseason?
Zach Kruse
The Green Bay Packers will be going into the 2022 season without several important contributors from the 2021 season. This isn’t a rebuild scenario, but the Packers will look different this season after an active offseason.
Here’s a look at who the Packers have lost this offseason:
RECEIVERS Davante Adams
Departed: Trade to Raiders
Snaps played in 2021: 886 Replacement difficulty: High Replacing Adams’ talent will be next to impossible. He’s arguably the best receiver in football, and his connection with Aaron Rodgers was telepathic at times. The Packers may need to sign a top free agent or use a trade to get a veteran before the draft, but with four top-60 picks and 11 picks overall, Brian Gutekunst has an excellent opportunity to restock the position with young, cheap talent.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Departed: Free agent, signed with Chiefs
Snaps played in 2021: 455 Replacement difficulty: Moderate His speed and vertical ability in Matt LaFleur’s offense were valuable traits. And he was slowly becoming a more wellrounded receiver when a handful of unfortunate injuries struck in 2021. The Packers can find another deep threat, especially in this draft class, but losing Adams and Valdes-Scantling in offseason is tough.
Equanimeous St. Brown
Departed: Free agent, signed with Bears
Snaps played in 2021: 292 Replacement difficulty: Low
St. Brown, who caught 37 passes in 37 career games, never developed into more than a complementary receiver and special teamer, so replacing his production won’t be especially difficult.
OFFENSIVE LINE Lucas Patrick
Departed: Free agent, signed with Bears
Snaps played in 2021: 911 Replacement difficulty: Low Patrick played over 1,800 snaps for the Packers offensive line over the last two seasons. He can operate at left guard, center or right guard, robbing the Packers of some versatility on the inside, but Jon Runyan, Josh Myers and Royce Newman give the Packers three young starters.
Billy Turner
Departed: Released, signed with Broncos
Snaps played in 2021: 810 Replacement difficulty: Moderate Turner started games at left tackle, right tackle and right guard over three seasons in Green Bay. His positional versatility – specifically his ability to play both tackle spots – was valuable. The Packers likely see Elgton Jenkins as the future at right tackle, making Turner expendable long-term, but adding depth at tackle will likely be required.
DEFENSE OLB Za'Darius Smith
Departed: Released, signed with Vikings
Snaps played in 2021: 18 Replacement difficulty: Moderate Smith played in only one game last season, and the Packers have two strong starters in Preston Smith and Rashan Gary at edge rusher, lessening the impact of his departure.
CB Chandon Sullivan
Departed: Free agent, signed with Vikings
Snaps played in 2021: 827 Replacement difficulty: Low Sullivan was the Packers’ primary slot cornerback each of the last two seasons, but re-signing Rasul Douglas likely facilitated his departure.
LB Oren Burks
Departed: Free agent, signed with 49ers
Snaps played in 2021: 202 Replacement difficulty: Low While a bust as a linebacker, Burks played a lot of snaps for the Packers special teams over the last four seasons.
SPECIAL TEAMS P Corey Bojorquez
The Cleveland Browns signed Bojorquez to a two-year contract. The Packers swapped draft picks in the 2023 draft to get Bojorquez last August but moved on after signing Pat O’Donnell in free agency.
UNSIGNED CB Kevin King
King played 303 total defensive snaps over 10 games and six starts but once again battled through injuries in 2021. While he may never be a reliable or overly consistent player, King covered better and tackled better in his first year playing for Joe Barry.
DL Tyler Lancaster
The Packers signed veteran Jarran Reed in free agency, so the writing might be on the wall for Lancaster, who has played at least 30 percent of the defense’s total snaps in each of the last four seasons. He has value as a space-eating run defender, but he never developed into more than a replacement-level defensive lineman and the Packers probably want to see what Jack Heflin can do in a similar role.
OT Dennis Kelly
The Packers have made it a habit to add veteran swing tackles under Brian Gutekunst, so a reunion could still make sense with Kelly, who started five games (including the playoff loss to San Francisco) for the Packers at right tackle. He held his own and was solid in pass protection.
OLB Whitney Mercilus
Signed in October after being released by the Texans, Mercilus gave the Packers 10 pressures in four games before going down with what looked like a season-ending injury. He was able to return for the playoff loss and play 12 snaps. When healthy, Mercilus was a strong rotational edge rusher behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. Bringing him back in that role makes sense, especially after cutting Za’Darius Smith.
S Henry Black
Black played 262 snaps on defense, mostly as the designated third safety, and he finished second on the team with 315 snaps on special teams. He ended the season with the Packers’ highest overall grade on special teams, but his return looks increasingly unlikely. Black became an unrestricted free agent when the team passed on tendering him as an exclusive rights free agent, providing a strong clue regarding his future in Green Bay.
OLB Chauncey Rivers
A knee injury ended his season after four games and just 98 total snaps (54 on defense). Like Black, the Packers passed on tendering him as an exclusive rights free agent, likely because of the injury and recovery.