Offense Thrived Post-Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe and Davante Adams left Green Bay under very different circumstances, but aside from the reason for their exits, the situations between then and now are eerily similar. Both players were 29 years old. Both players were coming off seasons that saw them catch over 90 passes and score more than 10 TDs. Both players were targeted an exorbitant number of times. And both the ’94 Packers and the ’21 Packers didn’t have a proven replacement on the roster.
Fortunately, the offense was just fine without Sharpe in 1995. The Packers averaged two points and 28 yards more per game, and quarterback Brett Favre’s statistics also improved. The future Hall of Famer threw for 531 more yards, and his touchdowns went up while his interceptions went down. Those are hopeful signs for the post-Adams offense next season, but it’s extremely important to remember all the work then-general manager Ron Wolf did to make that happen.
Wolf didn’t just sit back and hope his holdover players would step up. Sure he had a promising young wide receiver in Robert Brooks and a promising young tight end in Mark Chmura, but the future Hall of Fame executive knew he had to add proven veteran talent to the positions. That’s why he traded a second-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Keith Jackson and Mark Ingram. The former was a three-time All-Pro tight end, and the latter was an established No. 2 wide receiver.
Current GM Brian Gutekunst needs to be just as aggressive in acquiring talent this offseason as the man who hired him was 27 years ago. In fact, it’s even more imperative because these Packers don’t appear to have a Brooks or a Chmura ready to emerge. And while next month’s draft should add an exciting young prospect or two to the roster, the chances of that player making a huge impact are slim. Since Aaron Rodgers took over as starting quarterback in 2008, the most catches by a rookie wide receiver or tight end are 38 by Marquez Valdes-Scantling in 2007. The four-time MVP doesn’t fully trust young players, even ones as talented as Adams, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Jermichael Finley.
The offense improved without Sharpe because Favre was forced to spread the ball around. He no longer had eyes for only one player. But he also had some really good weapons around him. Chmura and Jackson, once he ended his holdout in October, were the best 1-2 punch at tight end in the league, and Brooks blossomed into a legitimate No. 1 receiver. Along with two talented runners (Dorsey Levens and Edgar Bennett) and a solid line, the offense was better than ever.
Like Favre in 1995, Rodgers will be forced to spread the ball around in 2022. And while that’s a good thing, he needs better weapons at his disposal. Rehabbing Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis aren’t Jackson and Chmura, and it’s highly doubtful young Amari Rodgers is the next Brooks. The Packers do have two talented runners (Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon) and a solid line, so the missing ingredient is simple – a proven No. 1 wide receiver or at least a high-end No. 2. Gutekunst can’t just sit back and hope the prospect or prospects he selects early in next month’s draft will fill that role.
Finding that veteran player won’t be easy. There are no available free agents who fit that profile and a pair of No. 1 receivers (Amari Cooper and Tyreek Hill) have already been traded to teams not named the Packers. But there are others out there. Gutekunst just needs to be willing to pay the price to get them. Wolf had no qualms about dealing a No. 2 for Jackson and Ingram, but he didn’t value picks as much as Gutekunst, who’s never traded more than a No. 6 for a player.
The time is now for Gutekunst to change his philosophy. Sure, the offense will still be productive regardless of what does or doesn’t transpire in the upcoming weeks. Having an all-time great player under center will see to that. But if the goal is to win another championship, that won’t happen without some heavy-duty lifting this offseason. The Packers have seen what excellent defenses can do to their offense – even with Adams – the past three Januarys. To keep that from occurring again, Gutekunst needs to follow the blueprint used by Wolf the year after Sharpe was forced to retire from the NFL due to a neck injury. It may be against his nature, but elite general managers adapt. They also win Super Bowls.
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