It's that time of the year again. Here's my updated list of the top 25 Packers since 1981. Enjoy the trip down memory lane.
25-tie] C Corey Linsley (2014-2020) – His final season in Green Bay was without question his best, and it pushed him onto this list. The former fifth-round pick from Ohio State was named an All-Pro in 2020, becoming just the third Packers' offensive lineman to receive this honor in the past 50 years. In 99 starts, he consistently got the better of players who often outweighed him by 30 pounds. The Chargers made him the highest-paid center in the league last March.
25-tie] CB Tramon Williams (2006-2014, 2018-2020) - His last two full seasons in Green Bay got him onto this very prestigious list. After enjoying multiple Pro Bowl-caliber years in his first go-round with the Packers, he returned at the age of 35 and provided almost 2,000 quality snaps in his encore. Finished his career with 34 interceptions (all but four while wearing a green and yellow uniform), including a couple in the 2010 playoffs that will live forever in team lore.
24] TE Paul Coffman (1978-1985) - He was signed as a free agent after a scout went to Kansas State to work out another player before the 1978 draft. He was small and slow for the position even back then, but that didn't stop him from being a solid positional blocker and a legit threat as a receiver (12.8 yards per catch). Scored 39 touchdowns in eight seasons with Green Bay. Despite his very humble beginnings, he's still the team's best all-around tight end since the Lombardi era.
23] FB William Henderson (1995-2006) - Many were critical of GM Ron Wolf's decision to draft this unknown player from North Carolina in the third round in 1995, but they weren't complaining a few years later when he blossomed into arguably the best fullback in the league. It's still difficult to believe he went to just one Pro Bowl in 12 seasons.
22] LB John Anderson (1978-1989) - Because of all the losing the Packers did in the 1980s, many excellent players from that era tend to be underappreciated. The former Michigan star is a perfect example. Some scouts compared him to Hall of Famer Jack Ham before the 1978 draft, and while he was never quite that special, he was good enough to be named a second-team player on the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team.
21] LB Bryce Paup (1990-1994) - One of Tom Braatz's and Lindy Infante's best picks, the unheralded sixth-rounder from Northern Iowa had 32.5 sacks between 1991 and 1994. But he was more than just a pass rusher. He also played the run effectively and was surprisingly comfortable in space. He was arguably a better "elephant" than Julius Peppers. He signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Bills in 1995 and was named Defensive Player of the Year that same season.
20] NT Kenny Clark (2016-present) - The only new addition to the list, the former No. 1 pick from UCLA enjoyed his second Pro Bowl season in 2021. What makes his play even more impressive is the lack of talent around him. He's never lined up next to even an above-average defensive end. He's constantly double-teamed and yet he still manages to impact games. At 26 years old, he's just entering the prime of his career and his place on this list should continue to climb.
19] OT Chad Clifton (2000-2011) - He started 160 games for the Packers and went to a pair of Pro Bowls despite not blocking a soul in the run game. That's how special he was in protection. Blessed with great size, remarkably quick feet, and terrific balance, the former Tennessee star made even the best pass rushers disappear on a weekly basis.
18] WR Greg Jennings (2006-2012) - Yet another unpopular high draft pick who went on to achieve great success. He didn't have ideal size or speed, but he just knew how to play the position. Understood how to set up defensive backs and open their hips before snapping off his routes. He caught over 400 passes and scored 53 touchdowns as a Packer.
17] LB Tim Harris (1986-1990) - He hated playing for the woebegone Packers every minute, but that didn't keep him from producing 55 sacks in six seasons, including 19.5 in 1988. Stopping the run was always an afterthought, but he was an outstanding pass rusher. The former fourth-round pick was a natural knee bender with an outstanding closing burst and short-area explosion. He eventually forced a trade to the 49ers in 1991 and earned a Super Bowl ring three years later.
16] WR Jordy Nelson (2008-2017) - Many fans scratched their heads when GM Ted Thompson drafted the former Kansas State star in the second round in 2008, but he eventually developed into one of the 10 best players at his position in the league. The offense struggled without him in 2015 and not coincidentally came back to life upon his return from knee surgery the next season. Had nearly 8,000 yards receiving as a Packer.
15] OG Marco Rivera (1996-2004) - Despite watching every game he played at Penn State, I still thought the sixth-round draft pick would be a career backup. Needless to say, I was wrong. He was one of the best guards in the NFL before injuries slowed him down. Voted to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2002 to 2004. At his best, the 300-pounder used brute strength and technique to move bigger men in the run game and slow down faster men in pass protection.
14] OG Josh Sitton (2008-2015) - His long and distinguished career with the Packers came to a shocking end when he was abruptly released along with 17 other players only days before the start of the 2016 season, but that won't keep him from being remembered as one of the best guards in franchise history. That's how good he was from 2010 to 2015. The three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler was powerful in the run game and almost impossible to beat in pass protection.
13] FS Nick Collins (2005-2011) - It took a while for the former Bethune-Cookman star to find his way in the NFL, but when he did, boy was he fun to watch. The rare safety who could tackle at the line of scrimmage and cover receivers down the field. Inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame a few years ago. If not for a serious neck injury that ended his career at the age of 28, he might've wound up in that other Hall of Fame.
12] LB Clay Matthews (2009-2018) - The former No. 1 pick from USC racked up 83.5 sacks and 15 forced fumbles in 10 seasons with the Packers and was named to six Pro Bowls. When healthy, he was a talented and tenacious player who put up impressive stats despite lining up opposite and alongside quite a few stiffs during his time in Green Bay.
11] WR Donald Driver (1999-2012) - I valued performance over longevity while compiling this list, but sometimes playing really well for a really long time was impossible to ignore. This former seventh-round pick from tiny Alcorn State is the perfect example. Jennings and Nelson were better receivers, but they simply can't be ranked ahead of the franchise's all-time leader in catches (743) and yards (10,137). The future Dancing With the Stars winner also scored 61 touchdowns.
10] RB Ahman Green (2000-2009) - He's one of the most underrated players ever to wear a Packers uniform. From 2000 to 2004, the former Nebraska star was as productive as any running back in the National Football League. He amassed five consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, including a franchise-record 1,883 in '03. He was also a dependable blocker and a legitimate threat in the passing game. It's still hard to believe he was acquired for Fred Vinson.
9] WR Sterling Sharpe (1988-1994) - The team's No. 1 pick in 1988 would be in the Hall of Fame had it not been for a neck injury that ended his career at age 29. In seven seasons, he caught 595 passes for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns. He was selfish, but his talent and his toughness can never be questioned. He couldn't practice and could barely run due to a very painful toe injury in 1993, yet he still managed over 100 receptions.
8] WR Davante Adams (2014-present) - Moved up another two spots from a year ago. The former second-round pick from Fresno State has caught 69 touchdowns in the past six seasons, the most by any Packer in a similar stretch of time. He isn't the biggest or the fastest wide receiver in the world, but his route running is a thing of beauty. He's been voted to five Pro Bowls and was just named All-Pro for the second time in his brilliant eight-year career.
7] OT David Bakhtiari (2013-present) - A knee injury temporarily halted his climb up this list. Forget being one of the 10-best Packers of the past 40 years; the former Colorado star could be on his way to a much bigger honor. If he can add a few more All-Pro seasons to the five he's already collected, it'll be tough to keep him out of the Hall of Fame. Not too shabby for a former fourth-round pick whose name most fans couldn't pronounce or spell until well into his rookie season.
6] SS LeRoy Butler (1990-2001) - It took about a decade too long, but he's finally a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Florida State star did things 30 years ago that no other defensive back was doing. He played the run and rushed the quarterback like a linebacker, and he covered like a cornerback. He finished his career with 20.5 sacks, 38 interceptions, and a place on the 1990s All-Decade Team. And oh yeah, he invented the Lambeau Leap for good measure.
5] WR James Lofton (1978-1986) - Had it not been for a serious off-the-field issue that led to his giveaway trade to the Raiders in 1987, he might well be regarded as one the 10 greatest Packers of all time. He had over 1,000 yards receiving in five of his eight seasons in Green Bay, and he didn't get to play with a quarterback like Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers. The former Stanford star was big, fast, explosive, and as graceful as a ballerina.
4] CB Charles Woodson (2006-2012) - The former Heisman Trophy winner from Michigan signed with Green Bay as the last resort in 2006, and he played like he wanted to be anyplace else in his first summer with the Packers. Ironically, he wound up becoming one of the greatest and most beloved players in franchise history. While his skill level was unique, his leadership was every bit as important to the team's improbable run to the Super Bowl in 2010.
3] DE Reggie White (1993-1998) - At 31 years old, he wasn't in his prime when he famously signed with Green Bay as a free agent in April 1993, but he was still one of the best defensive players in the league. More importantly, he made a team that hadn't won a thing in a quarter-century believe it could be great again. And while it was a treat to watch the "Minister of Defense" play for the Packers, if you really want to see him at his best, check out his work with Buddy Ryan's Eagles in the late 80s. It's difficult to imagine any defensive lineman ever being so dominant in all phases of the game.
2] QB Brett Favre (1992-2007) - While his ill-timed interceptions in the playoffs were upsetting and his departure in 2008 was a fiasco, there's no denying what No. 4 meant to the Packers. After being acquired in a trade in 1992, he quickly became the face of a franchise that hadn't had an identity since LBJ was in the White House. Along with White, Wolf, and former head coach Mike Holmgren, he put the "title" back in Titletown.
1] QB Aaron Rodgers (2005-present) - It's hard to imagine putting anyone ahead of Favre on this list, but his successor at quarterback definitely deserves the honor. In fact, No. 12 has a chance to someday be at the top of another list - the list of greatest signal-callers in NFL history. He's already there based on talent and statistics alone, but he'll have to win a couple more Super Bowls to leapfrog the likes of Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and John Elway. Won his fourth MVP award last week after throwing 37 touchdowns and leading Green Bay to another 13-win season at age 38.
(NOTE: The following players received strong consideration for a spot on this list: running back Aaron Jones, tight end Mark Chmura; wide receivers Randall Cobb and Antonio Freeman; offensive linemen Bryan Bulaga, Earl Dotson, Mike Flanagan, Ron Hallstrom, T.J. Lang, Larry McCarren, Ken Ruettgers, Mark Tauscher, Mike Wahle, and Scott Wells; defensive linemen Gilbert Brown, Mike Daniels, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Ezra Johnson, and Aaron Kampman; outside linebackers Tony Bennett and Mike Douglass; inside linebackers Johnny Holland and Brian Noble; corners Al Harris, Mark Lee, and Sam Shields; safeties Mark Murphy and Darren Sharper; punter Craig Hentrich; kicker Mason Crosby).
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Great compilation Michael, really well done. Though I still think the Packers are better off trading Rodgers and Adams (assuming they’d get “fair market value”), considering they’re (rightfully in my opinion) ranked the #1 and #8 Packer players of the last 40 years makes for a compelling case to keep them. Reviewing this list brought back many great memories of each of these players, perhaps the biggest benefit of this article. Appreciated the honorable mentions as well. Not a criticism, bout found myself wanting to extend this list to 50 years, or basically the best Packer players since all the many great ones that were part of the Lombardi era. If that were the case, I would think a handful of long-forgotten but worthy names from the 70’s would be added, such as CB’s Willie Buchanon and Ken Ellis, OLB Fred Carr, DE Ezra Johnson, G Gale Gillingham and RB John Brockington to name a few. Thanks again Michael, great job.
Thanks, Steve. I went with the past 40 years because I didn’t start following the Packers until 1978, and I didn’t feel comfortable writing about players I never watched.
Also, thanks for mentioning Ezra Johnson. I mistakingly omitted him from the honorable mention section.