The full collection of reviews of the Green Bay Packers’ 2019 draft class.
Packers Wire reviewed the rookie seasons of all eight of the Green Bay Packers draft picks in the 2019 draft, breaking down stats, snap counts, best games and best plays from Brian Gutekunst’s draft class.
Here is the entire collection of recaps, reviews and grades for the Packers rookies:
Quick take: Gary flashed his rare blend of traits, but the flashes were rare and opportunities were limited. Much more development is required before he’s a difference-maker.
Quick take: Savage quickly earned a starting job with intelligence, play speed and playmaking ability. With more consistency, he could blossom into a star.
Quick take: A couple of early injuries and the difficulty of the adjustment to the pro game for tight ends limited his impact, but he’ll be a breakout candidate in 2020 after a strong finish in 2019.
Quick take: His athleticism showed up as a rusher and run defender. With a big jump in Year 2, he could emerge as an important player up front for Mike Pettine’s defense.
Quick take: A strong summer didn’t translate into immediate playing time in a deep position group, but the Packers love his makeup and press-man potential.
Quick take: The rookie runner got in the doghouse early and never really found his way out, but he has talent and could find a much bigger role in 2020.
Quick take: Despite not getting on the field at a weak position group, the seventh-round pick became a core special teams player during his first season.
Reviewing the rookie season of Packers LB Ty Summers, a seventh-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.
Next up: linebacker Ty Summers, the 226th overall pick and the Packers’ seventh-round draft pick in 2019:
Season stats
Summers played in all 18 games and finished fourth on the team in total special teams tackles (six), including a team-high four assisted tackles.
Snap counts
Despite not playing a single snap on defense, Summers was on the field for a team-high 311 special teams snaps, or 72.6 percent of the team’s regular-season total. He played 42 more special teams snaps during the postseason. Summers’ season-high for special teams snaps was Week 11 against the 49ers, when he played all 26 snaps. His season-low was nine against the Panthers in Week 9.
Best game
Summers delivered a pair of assisted tackles covering kickoffs against the Seahawks in the divisional round. Twice, he got down the field and helped make the stop of Travis Homer short of the 30-yard line.
Season recap, future outlook
Summers overcame an up-and-down summer, made the 53-man roster with a thrilling end to the preseason and then secured a valuable spot as a four-way player on Shawn Mennenga’s special teams unit. Most weeks, he not only covered kicks and punts but also blocked for kicks and punts. His production covering on special teams wasn’t extraordinary but he was often asked to take on blocks and play a thankless role. Despite the defense’s limitations at inside linebacker, Summers was provided no opportunities to get on the field as a rookie. Blake Martinez stayed healthy, B.J. Goodson played the thumper role and Mike Pettine prioritized getting defensive backs onto the field. Summers has functional athleticism and a good motor but he showed issues getting off blocks and finishing tackles during the preseason. Reading and reacting were a problem at times at TCU and the issue didn’t look rectified at any point this summer. He’ll need a big jump to get on the field in a meaningful way on defense in 2020, but his special teams value should provide an annual pathway to the roster.
Season grade
Seventh-round picks are guaranteed of nothing, so Summers sticking around and playing in every game as a core special teamer made for a strong rookie year, even if he didn’t earn playing time at a weak position on defense. The hope for every young player is that they come back more comfortable and confident in Year 2 and enjoy a big developmental step. The Packers could use one from Summers, although it’s likely he’ll never be anything more than a special teams specialist. Grade: C
Reviewing the rookie season of Packers RB Dexter Williams, the 194th pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.
Next up: running back Dexter Williams, the 194th overall pick and the Packers’ second of two sixth-round draft picks in 2019:
Season stats
Williams carried five times for 11 yards and no touchdowns over four regular-season appearances. His longest run was five yards, and he had five yards after contact. He wasn’t targeted in the passing game. During the preseason, Williams carried 37 times for 128 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 57 yards, including a 21-yarder.
Snap counts
Williams played 10 snaps on offense – six against the Oakland Raiders in Week 7, and four more against the Detroit Lions in Week 17 – and 38 total special teams snaps, including a season-high of 11 snaps against both the Raiders in Week 7 and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8.
Best play
In the second quarter of the season finale in Detroit, Williams took an inside zone handoff, identified the hole to his left and cut back inside to gain five quick yards. He fell forward after first contact to gain an extra yard or two. During the preseason, Williams converted a 3rd-and-7 with a 21-yard catch-and-run off of a well-executed screen pass against the Chiefs.
Buried on the depth chart behind starter Aaron Jones and versatile backup Jamaal Williams, Dexter Williams just barely made the 53-man roster to start the season and then played in only four regular-season games. Trust appeared to be an issue. Williams got himself in the doghouse during camp and never really found a way out, at least in terms of getting onto the field in a meaningful way during the year. Throughout the summer, Matt LaFleur praised his talent but publicly demanded more consistency. Coming back for Year 2 with a higher comfort level in the offense and knowing what’s expected of him as a pro could make all the difference. He has the size, short-area burst and lower-body power to be a useful situational runner in 2020, but only if he earns the trust of teammates and coaches. Training camp and the preseason will likely determine if he’s ready to take a leap or back on the roster bubble.
Season grade
The Packers gave Jones and Williams and eventually Tyler Ervin all the important snaps at running back, leaving the sixth-round pick as a gameday inactive most weeks. Rookie runners are capable of coming into the league and making an immediate impact, but it didn’t happen for the Notre Dame product. It was disappointing, especially for a back with a skillset befitting the new Packers offense, but he had experienced players ahead of him gobbling up all the opportunities. LaFleur will hope a redshirt rookie season sets up Williams for bigger things in 2020. Grade: Incomplete
Reviewing the rookie season of Packers safety Darnell Savage, the 21st overall pick in the 2019 draft.
The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.
Next up: safety Darnell Savage, the 21st overall pick and the Packers’ second first-round draft selection in 2019:
Season stats
Savage produced 55 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one tackle for a loss and one quarterback hit over 14 regular season games. He tallied 10 more tackles and another tackle for loss in two playoff games. The rookie safety allowed 17 completions and two touchdown passes in coverage and produced two total pressures over 17 blitzes. He also missed eight tackles. PFF recorded Savage as allowing only 188 yards into his coverage.
Snap counts
Savage played 863 defensive snaps (83 percent) and 100 special teams snaps (23 percent) during the regular season. He played another 114 defensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps over two playoff games, giving him 977 defensive snaps, 118 special teams snaps and 1,095 total snaps in 2019. He played 100 percent of the defense’s snaps in 13 games and at least 96 percent of snaps in 15 of 16 games overall. He left Week 5 with an ankle injury and played just 19 snaps.
Best game
Green Bay Packers defensive back Darnell Savage (26) celebrates his interception during the Green Bay Packers 26-16 win over the Denver Broncos, Sunday, September 22, 2019 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Week 3 vs. the Broncos. Savage recorded his first career interception and was effective in coverage, against the run and as a blitzer. He didn’t allow a single completion into his coverage, and PFF credited Savage with two pressures and a run stop. He got off a block and chased down Royce Freeman along the sideline to create a tackle for loss.
Worst game
NFC Championship Game vs. 49ers. Like many of his teammates, the rookie safety was out of position and struggled to make tackles for much of the afternoon against the 49ers run game. He took a bad angle on Raheem Mostert’s first touchdown. He got bowled over by Deebo Samuel and nearly gave up a long touchdown. He missed a diving tackle on Mostert in the open field. And he took himself out of the play with a bad read on Mostert’s third touchdown run.
In Week 2 against the Vikings, Savage created a turnover with his rare blend of speed and instincts. Kirk Cousins attempted to fit a throw into a tight window, but Savage read the route in front of him, closed the space in an instant and got a hand on the ball at the catch point, deflecting the pass into the waiting arms of Preston Smith for an interception near midfield.
Season recap, future outlook
Like any rookie safety thrust into a starting role, Savage went through some growing pains as he adjusted to the speed of the pro game and the many intricacies of playing safety in an NFL defense. But it’s hard to look at Savage’s first season and not be encouraged by his rare play speed, reliability in coverage and playmaking ability. He reads and reacts in the blink of an eye and can get to any spot on the field in a hurry, shrinking the field for the defense. He also intercepted a pair of passes, forced two fumbles and created another turnover with a pass deflection. Rarely did he get beat for big plays or fooled by quarterbacks over the top. His knowledge of the defense and sideline to sideline speed allowed the Packers to play veteran Adrian Amos closer to the line of scrimmage. A necessary area of improvement is in tackling. He missed over 12 percent of his total tackle attempts and seemed to regress tackling in the open field as the season wore on. Too often, he found himself out of position and lunging at the legs of ball-carriers. It’s easy to envision Savage as the Jaire Alexander of the safety position. Add in more confidence and a higher comfort level in everything about the job and Savage could turn all his talent and an impressive rookie season into a legitimate step toward becoming a difference-maker in Year 2.
Season grade
Savage, the first defensive back taken in the 2019 draft, immediately won over coaches and teammates and latched onto a starting job at safety. There was no question he belonged. His talent was obvious. Production as a first-year safety can be difficult to create, but he found ways to produce big plays and avoid allowing them. An ankle injury sidelined him in October and the defense suffered, a sure sign of his impact. His future is bright. B
Reviewing the rookie season of Packers first-round pick Rashan Gary.
The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.
First up: edge rusher Rashan Gary, the 12th overall pick and the Packers’ first-round draft selection in 2019:
Season stats
Gary produced 21 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three tackles for losses, two quarterback hits and one fumble recovery over 16 games. He also delivered 15 total pressures on 145 pass-rushing attempts, per Pro Football Focus. He missed three tackles against the run and gave up two completions in coverage. Only seven first-round picks from the 2019 class finished with a worst overall grade at PFF.
Snap counts
Gary played 244 defensive snaps (24 percent) during the regular season and another 12 during the postseason. He was 16th on the team in total defensive snaps played. Gary’s season-high for snaps played was 26 against the Denver Broncos in Week 3. He played a season-low three snaps in the NFC title game against the San Francisco 49ers. Only seven times did Gary play 25 percent or more of the defense’s snaps in a game.
Best game
Week 3 against the Broncos. Gary delivered his first-career sack, four tackles (one for loss) and a fumble recovery while playing 26 snaps. The sack came with the Packers protecting an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. Gary worked through a chip, beat the right tackle and then chased down Joe Flacco as he attempted to scramble.
Worst game
Week 5 in Dallas. Gary played 22 snaps, including 17 as a pass-rusher, and failed to record a single pressure. He also got beat on a wheel route by Ezekiel Elliott for 27 yards.
In Week 15, Gary tallied his second-career sack when he gained the edge against Bears right tackle Cornelius Lucas, turned the corner and tracked down Mitchell Trubisky. The play showcased his blend of athleticism and power. He got to the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle, ripped his hands through the block and closed the space on Trubisky.
Season recap, future outlook
Signing Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith allowed the Packers to bring Gary along slowly during his rookie season, a rare opportunity for a top-15 overall pick. The Michigan star needed the time to develop because he wasn’t close to ready to be an every-down player in 2019. There were flashes of disruptive ability from Gary as a rotational and situational rusher but just as many or more that showed how much more development the 22-year-old needs. He needs work getting off the ball and getting off blocks. His toolbox remains limited but his ceiling is high due to his rare athletic gifts. Learning to play as a standup linebacker created another hurdle for his development, so there’s a chance he’ll be more comfortable and play much faster as a second-year player in 2020. The Packers envision him as a versatile rusher who can affect the quarterback from the edge on normal down and distances and then kick inside and beat guards and centers on passing downs, much like Za’Darius Smith. Cam Jordan and Everson Griffen are two recent examples of big, athletic pass-rushers who needed a lot of time and work before they were great players.
Season grade
Gary played the majority of his snaps as a situational rusher on passing downs. His production and impact were marginal, and his talent only showed up in flashes. The Packers and everyone else knew he needed at least a season to develop, so the lack of results wasn’t hugely surprising. Still, it’s not unreasonable to have expected more tangible production from the 12th overall pick in the draft. D+
