A combination of veteran personnel losses and a lack of development internally combined to push the Green Bay Packers from a team that had won 13 games in three-straight seasons to an 8-9 outfit that missed the playoffs in 2022.
Internal development is vital to continued success in the NFL, and the Packers just didn’t get enough of it this past year.
So, who was the team’s most improved player?
Pro Football Focus picked defensive lineman Jarran Reed, who signed a one-year deal to join the Packers before the 2022 season.
Reed regressed sharply in 2021 but bounced back in Green Bay in 2022, delivering 33 total pressures and 28 tackles considered to be a stop over 705 total snaps. He was excellent down the stretch as a pass-rusher, and his strip and recovery in Miami momentarily saved the Packers’ season.
PFF had a tough job here because the Packers didn’t have many “most improved” candidates. In fact, the list of veteran players who regressed was far longer and much more significant.
For reference, Reed was the fifth-most improved player on the roster by overall grade at PFF He trailed quarterback Jordan Love, kicker Mason Crosby, safety Rudy Ford and defensive lineman TJ Slaton. You can find the entire list at Packers Wire here.
Reed’s contract with the Packers was scheduled to officially void on Monday. He will be a free agent and without a contract come the start of the new league year in March.
Should the Packers bring back Reed and continue developing the young players (Slaton, Devonte Wyatt) up front on defense, or look for another cheap veteran option in free agency? Let us know in the comments.
