The Green Bay Packers made 11 picks during the 2022 NFL draft: six offensive players and five defensive players.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2022 season for all of the Packers’ rookies. Next up: the final of four seventh-round picks made by the Packers, wide receiver Samori Toure.
Snap counts
Toure played 112 snaps on offense and two more on special teams over 11 games. Over a three-game stretch between Weeks 7-9, Toure played at least 20 percent of the offense’s snaps in all three games. In six of 11 games, Toure was on the field for 10 or more offensive snaps. His two special teams snaps came in Week 17 against the Vikings.
Season stats
Toure caught five passes on 10 targets for 82 yards and one touchdown. He caught 50 percent of targets and averaged 8.2 yards per target, and his 16.4-yard average per catch ranked third on the team. The seventh-rounder caught his first career touchdown pass in Week 8 against the Bills. It represented his longest catch of the season. Toure also converted a 4-and-2 situation with a 32-yard catch against the Lions.
PFF grade
Toure finished with a 49.3 overall grade at Pro Football Focus. The rookie ran 80 routes but caught only five passes, and he averaged 1.03 yards per route run. Over the last eight games, Toure ran 32 routes but saw only one target. His overall grade got dinged for a fumble against the Lions. Packers quarterbacks had a passer rating of 123.4 when targeting Toure in 2022.
Best game
The Packers were without Allen Lazard and then lost Christian Watson on the first drive in Buffalo, pushing Toure into a bigger role. He played 14 snaps, ran 14 routes, and caught his first touchdown pass on an improvised deep route in the second half. The score cut Buffalo’s lead to 27-17 and opened the door to a fourth-quarter comeback that never arrived.
Season recap, future outlook
Toure, a seventh-round pick, entered the 2022 season as the third of three draft picks at receiver. He made the 53-man roster but didn’t have a role on offense or special teams until injuries struck. When given opportunities midseason, Toure made a handful of splash plays down the field, including a touchdown catch in Buffalo and a big fourth-down conversion in Detroit in back-to-back weeks. His impact faded down the stretch as the Packers got healthy at receiver. Toure lacks ideal size, which could hurt his every-down potential moving forward, but his speed and ability to win downfield could be valuable assets. The Packers will likely add to the receiver room this offseason, potentially through the draft, meaning Toure will be in for another roster fight come the summer.
Season grade
Little is generally expected out of seventh-round picks. To get a touchdown catch and a big play in a close game out of Toure in Year 1 has to feel like a win for the Packers. The rookie got valuable playtime and even flashed the play-making prowess he displayed at Montana and Nebraska as a collegiate. Much more progression is required, and his roster spot won’t be secure entering Year 2, but Toure established a strong base as a rookie. Gaining play strength and finding a role on special teams will be vital in 2023.
Grade: B
