The first semester of this unprecedented 2020 NFL season has concluded. Time to pass out the mid-term grades for the 6-2 Green Bay Packers. Three’s a crowd atop the National Football Conference Standings at the halfway point. The Packers, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints have all won six of their first 8 while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have matched the win total but have lost three after the Monday night loss to the Saints.
I’ll post a grade for each position group and for each player in that group along with marks for Head Coach Matt LaFleur and General Manager Brian Gutekunst and brief explanations for the grades. No practice squad players, even those who’ve been called up on game days, will get a grade.
The roll call begins with…
Quarterbacks A
Aaron Rodgers A- Tim Boyle B- Rodgers, soon to turn 37, deserves to be in the MVP conversation with his 24 touchdown passes, the most he’s thrown in a first half. The minus comes from the two bad decisions and throws in Tampa, his only interceptions. Boyle is mastering the art of the kneel down, his only minus, getting sacked for 11 yards in one of his mop up appearances.
Running Backs B
Aaron Jones B+ Jamaal Williams B A.J. Dillon C John Lovett C+
No denying the importance of Jones to the offense, 7 touchdowns, 5 yards a carry and 23 receptions. Williams is the ultimate backup, supportive of the starter who takes advantage of his snaps. LaFleur says he runs violently and brings the team energy. Dillon’s time will come, maybe next year and Lovett helps anywhere, offense, special teams.
Tight Ends B+
Robert Tonyan B+ Marcedes Lewis B+ Jace Sternberger C
Tonyan has clearly taken the next step, the team’s second leading receiver, second in TD grabs. Lewis is the perfect mentor, not just for his fellow tight ends, but everyone in the locker room. A superb run blocker who can still make grabs. Sternberger shook off early season drops but needs to pick it up even more.
Wide Receiver C+
Davante Adams A+ Marquez Valdes-Scantling C+ Malik Taylor C Darius Shepherd C- Equanimeous St. Brown INC Allen Lazard (IR) B
If not for Adams, this grade might drop even further. Davante has put up remarkable numbers (53/675 and 8 TD’s) in only six games. Only Lazard showed any consistency before his core muscle injury after the New Orleans game. MVS still wows you and breaks your heart.
Offensive Line A
David Bakhtiari B- Elgton Jenkins A Corey Linsley A- Lucas Patrick A Billy Turner B+ Jon Runyan C+ Rick Wagner C+ Yosh Nijman INC
Talk about the sum of the parts. This unit has been ever changing all season yet no matter who plays where, the performance level has remained at a high level. Jenkins is remarkably versatile as a second year player, Patrick has seized his moment as a full time starter. Pro Football Focus says he hasn’t allowed a sack, much less a quarterback hit in 8 games. Turner is a soldier, Runyan has done his job and as for Bakhtiari, he needs to get healthy but his play hasn’t matched last year’s level.
Defensive Line C-
Kenny Clark C Dean Lowry C Tyler Lancaster C Billy Winn C+ Montravius Adams C- Kingsley Keke C
The groin injury cost Clark almost five full games and hopefully he’ll regain his 2019 form. The rest of the group just hasn’t impressed. Winn gets the C with a plus because it’s been a four year road on serious injury recoveries to get back into the league.
Inside Linebackers C-
Krys Barnes C+ Kamal Martin C+ Ty Summers C+ Oren Burks D Christian Kirksey (IR) C
Barnes, an undrafted rookie free agent leads the team in tackles halfway through and he’s still learning the NFL game. Summers is high effort, Burks just can’t seem to get a grasp, injuries derailed Martin’s promising camp and Kirksey has been injury prone for now three years running, disappointing.
Outside Linebackers B-
Za’Darius Smith B+ Preston Smith C+ Rashan Gary C+ Jonathan Garvin C- Randy Ramsey INC
Z is still making impact plays despite a bum ankle, P is not anywhere close in production from his Green Bay debut season and his edge contain against the run is sub-par. Gary is coming, needs to get there faster.
Cornerbacks B
Jaire Alexander A Kevin King C- Chandon Sullivan B- Josh Jackson C Ka’Dar Hollman D+
Alexander is quickly ascending, if not already at a perennial Pro Bowl level. King just can’t stay on the field, when he is, he’s above average. Sullivan is a heady nickel/slot man. Jackson’s penchant for penalties still an issue three years in. Hollman hasn’t progressed, really blew a cover in San Francisco.
Safeties C
Adrian Amos C+ Darnell Savage C- Will Redmond C Raven Greene B- Vernon Scott C
Amos remains a steady if unspectacular safety. I was expecting a lot more from Savage. Greene is tough in the box and corralled a pick, for a late round pick, Scott shows promise.
Specialists B+
Mason Crosby A- J.K. Scott C+ Hunter Bradley C+
Mason, the old man would have gotten an A plus if not for the missed PAT but he still hasn’t missed a game in 14 years. Scott has been able to show off his field flipping leg this year, it’s been directional work and nice fill in on kickoffs while Crosby was hurting. Bradley is steady.
Head Coach B-
Matt Lafleur is doing plenty right, having won 19 of 24 regular season games but when imposing defenses shut things down, he hasn’t been able to find answers. His patented re-set button wasn’t found against a Vikings team that was ready to get buried. Players like his playbook and his enthusiasm is still infectious.
General Manager C
Brian Gutekunst has stayed conservative and forward thinking this year. The draft will not produce any significant immediate dividends unless Kamal Martin takes off in the second half. The trade deadline came and went again and while in conversation over positions of need (receiver, defensive line) the current and future cap kept him from pulling the trigger. He believes what he has will be enough. Let’s see.
