Packers have NFL’s slowest skill position grouping

The Packers are really lacking speed at running back, receiver and tight end. In fact, they might be one of the NFL’s slowest.

The Green Bay Packers won’t be one of the fastest offenses in the NFL in 2020. In fact, they’ll likely be one of the slowest.

As noted by Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, the Packers have the NFL’s slowest skill position grouping in 11 personnel – one running back, one tight end and three receivers – based on average 40-yard dash time.

The exercise likely assumes Devin Funchess, who ran 4.7 in the 40 at the combine, is a starter.

This could be a realistic 11 personnel grouping for the Packers in 2020:

– RB Aaron Jones: 4.56
– WR Davante Adams: 4.56
– WR Allen Lazard: 4.55
– WR Devin Funchess: 4.7
– TE Jace Sternberger: 4.75

The Packers average 4.61 seconds over the five players, the slowest of the 32 NFL teams and nearly two-tenths of a second slower than the fastest team, the New York Giants.

Backup running back Jamaal Williams (4.59) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (4.84 ) don’t run well, but receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling (4.37) and Equanimeous St. Brown (4.48) both add speed in the passing game.

The Packers did little to add speed to the offense this offseason. The team drafted a big, athletic running back (A.J. Dillon, 4.53) and a versatile tight end (Josiah Deguara, 4.72) but missed out on the explosive receivers in the draft. In free agency, the team’s big addition was Funchess, one of the NFL’s slowest receivers by 40-yard dash time.

(Note: Funchess ran 4.48 at Michigan’s pro day, but pro day results are notoriously unreliable and favorable to the player.)

The Packers did release Jimmy Graham, opening the door for Sternberger to play more in the passing game. Even though Sternberger ran 4.75, he should be a considerable upgrade in both speed and athleticism over Graham.

Two other factors to consider: Jones and Adams are both legitimate difference-makers who create big plays even without elite top speed. Jones is one of the most explosive runners in football, and Adams wins downfield with deceptiveness early in routes.

But speed is a legitimate and worrying issue for the Packers offense. Lazard and Funchess aren’t fast players. Valdes-Scantling, for all his straight-line speed, had a disappointing second season and must now fight for a specific role. St. Brown is coming off a lost season to injury. Lewis will play a bunch of snaps in 2020 but is one of the slowest tight ends in football.

Unless Valdes-Scantling enjoys a bounce-back season, the Packers aren’t going to win with speed in 2020.