The Green Bay Packers improved by seven wins and advanced to the doorstep of the Super Bowl during the first season under new coach Matt LaFleur in 2019.

A team that limped to a 6-9-1 season in 2018 got big contributions from newcomers and clutch plays from up and down the roster to finish 13-3.

Here are the studs and duds from the Packers’ 2019 season:

Studs

OLB Za’Darius Smith: The $66 million man turned into a legitimate wrecking ball during his first season in Green Bay. Over 18 games, Smith produced 15.5 sacks, 41 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for losses and 107 total pressures. He led the NFL in expected sacks, quarterback hits, pressure rate and total disruptions despite being double-teamed at a higher rate than any other edge rusher. He rushed from every position in the defensive front and was especially effective rushing inside against guards and centers. His pressures were at least partially or directly responsible for six interceptions thrown by opposing quarterbacks. Five of his sacks came on third down. Teammates voted him a defensive captain. At the Pro Bowl, he produced two sacks and an interception.

RB Aaron Jones: He became just the 12th player in NFL history to score at least 23 touchdowns in a single season, including the playoffs. The third-year running back rushed for a league-high 19 touchdowns and caught four more scores. Jones finished with 1,202 rushing yards, 505 receiving yards and 1,707 total yards on 324 total touches, all career-highs. He led the NFL in red-zone rushing touchdowns (14) and games with two or more touchdowns (eight) and was one of only 20 players to produce six games or more with 100 or more scrimmage yards in 2019. His slashing style was a perfect fit in the new offense and he became a dangerous weapon in the passing game, all while proving his three-down ability by improving dramatically in pass protection. He also led the NFL in total broken tackles, breaking 32 as a runner and 10 more as a receiver.

DL Kenny Clark: A couple of injuries and increased attention from opponents led to a midseason lull, but Clark still made the Pro Bowl by finishing with six sacks, nine tackles for losses and the second-most total pressures by an interior defensive lineman. He was a dominant force down the stretch, producing 5.5 sacks and all nine of his tackles for a loss over the final eight games. Blocking him one-on-one was a fool’s errand. Just ask Garrett Bradbury.

WR Davante Adams: Missing four games with a toe injury in October hurt his final numbers, but Adams did nothing to hurt his argument as one of the NFL’s elite receivers. He had seven games over 100 yards receiving and finished the year with 100 catches for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns over 14 total games, including playoffs. He produced 16 catches over 20 yards and five over 40. He set a career-high with 180 receiving yards against the Eagles in Week 4 and later set a new franchise record with 160 receiving yards in the Packers’ playoff win over the Seahawks.

LT David Bakhtiari: The four-time All-Pro settled down after a somewhat shaky start and was nearly unbeatable over the final two months of the season. It’s easy to tell when Bakhtiari is rolling. Aaron Rodgers can sense it. He knows he’ll only need subtle movements to work around the pass-rush to his blindside. Few offensive tackles have to block in pass protection longer but Bakhtiari consistently gets it done. According to ESPN, he finished first among all offensive tackles in pass block win rate.

K Mason Crosby: The veteran kicker connected on 22 of 24 field goals and made all but one extra points. Overall, Crosby hit 68 of 71 total kicks in 2019. His 91.7 field goal percentage was a career-high. He also finished sixth in the NFL in touchback percentage, setting a new career-high at 62.0 percent. On kicks inside 40 yards, Crosby was a perfect 14-for-14. He also hit game-winning field goals in both games against the Detroit Lions.

RT Bryan Bulaga: When healthy, few are better at right tackle than Bulaga – and he managed to start 17 of 18 games in 2019. He still dealt with a few injury issues, but nothing major. He shut down several of the league’s top pass-rushers, including Khalil Mack, Danielle Hunter and Demarcus Lawrence. Pro Football Focus credited him with only four sacks allowed in 17 games.

TE Marcedes Lewis: His receiving impact remained minimal, even though he caught his first career touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers in New York. It was Lewis’ work in the run game that deserved recognition. His ability to block edge rushers as an inline tight end in the wide zone run game was crucial to executing the new scheme. Lewis consistently sealed off cut-back lanes or executed difficult reach blocks to create space to the outside. Most of Aaron Jones’ most explosive runs involved a block from Lewis at or near the point of attack.

OLB Preston Smith: His impact tailed off after a blazing hot start but there’s no denying how important his versatile skill set was to the defense. He produced 14 sacks, 27 quarterback hits and four pass breakups in 18 games. His seven sacks on third down were second in the NFL. He also intercepted a pass and showed an ability to drop into coverage and play underneath routes. Signed to a four-year deal in free agency, Smith produced career-best numbers in just about every significant statistical category.

S Will Redmond: No player on the roster had more special teams tackles than Redmond’s nine. And even when he didn’t get credit for a tackle, his swarming coverage often forced fair catches or directed the returner into a tackle by a teammate. He displayed speed and toughness to beat blocks and get downfield on punts and kicks. While overmatched at times on defense, Redmond’s value to Shawn Mennenga’s special teams groups was obvious.

WR Allen Lazard: Released by the Packers at final cuts, Lazard returned on the practice squad and immediately earned a call-up. It took him two months to get on the field, but once he did, the Packers had a hard time keeping him off it. He caught 67.3 percent of his targets and finished second on the team with 477 receiving yards. His touchdown catches in comeback wins over the Lions were important plays. Big and physical, Lazard was a legitimate asset as a run blocker. He even showed surprising speed on vertical routes. Chemistry slowly built with Aaron Rodgers and he emerged as a favorite target on third down. Lazard might be the only receiver behind Adams with a role secured in 2020.

CB Chandon Sullivan: Acquired in May, Sullivan fought his way onto the roster and emerged as an important part of Mike Pettine’s defense. As the No. 4 cornerback, he was nothing if not solid. He broke up six passes, intercepted Dak Prescott in Dallas and gave up only 11 total completions over roughly 350 snaps. He was also a core special teams player. His flashes in the slot could give him a chance to be a starter in 2020.

Duds

WR Geronimo Allison: Despite playing over 600 snaps in an offense captained by Aaron Rodgers, Allison produced one of the least efficient seasons by an NFL receiver in 2019. He averaged 8.4 yards per catch and 5.2 yards per target. He dropped at least five passes and fumbled twice. Of his 36 catches, 13 gained four or fewer yards. Rodgers’ passer rating when targeting Allison was 88.6.

LB Blake Martinez: He started every game, called plays for the defense and finished with over 140 tackles for the third-straight season, but his stats were mostly hollow and he represented a big reason why the Packers struggled to defend against the run and cover the middle of the field. In his fourth season, Martinez failed to lock in his future in Green Bay. He’s not big or physical enough to beat blocks, not fast or reactive enough to get to spots and make impact plays and not instinctive or athletic enough to play zone coverage in the middle of the field. Smart teams found ways to consistently exploit him. However, Mike Pettine did him no favors, often playing light in the box and asking Martinez to make it happen with little help.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling: The second-year receiver began the season as the No. 2 option behind Davante Adams but finished the year without a role. Over the final 11 games, MVS caught just six passes. He all but disappeared in the postseason, playing six total snaps over two games. He caught a long touchdown in Week 3 and produced 133 receiving yards in a win over the Raiders, but his highlights were few and far between. His incredible deep speed never translated into impact, and he never seemed to get on the same page as Rodgers. He averaged 17.4 yards per catch but caught just 46.4 percent of targets.

TE Jimmy Graham: The Packers gave him another shot in a new offense in 2019, but it was a mistake. The veteran played only 58 percent of the offense’s snaps and caught 38 passes, the lowest number since his rookie season. His lack of speed was painfully obvious, and he’s just not good enough at the catch point anymore. His blocking was spotty and oftentimes unacceptable. For long stretches, his only impact on the game was catching short checkdowns after helping with pass protection. This offense needs a lot more from the tight end position.

DL Montravius Adams: He was touted all summer by teammates and coaches but disappeared once the real games kicked off. He played in 14 games but was on the field for just 187 snaps, a slight dropoff from last season. Mike Pettine used him early in the season but quickly discovered he wasn’t reliable enough against the run. The run defense improved when his role decreased. The Packers need Adams to take a big step, but it’ll be tough to buy into him after three uninspiring seasons.

RG Billy Turner: He started all 18 games and nearly played every snap, and there’s value to cohesion along the offensive line. Still, the Packers signed Turner to a big deal in free agency and got nothing more than an average starter in return. He led the Packers offensive line in sacks and total pressures allowed. Stunts and delayed blitzes gave him real trouble.