Green Bay Packers: Why 2017 wasn’t a completely lost season

The Green Bay Packers lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the year and ended up missing the playoffs. It wasn’t not a complete waste of a season though.

There are a few things you could point to as proof that the 2017 season wasn’t a total loss for the Green Bay Packers. Despite not making the playoffs (mainly due to an Aaron Rodgers injury), they did manage to stay in the hunt. In that time, a lot was learned about the team.

What was learned exactly?

Let’s go through various players on the roster to see just that.

Brett Hundley

While the young quarterback wasn’t terrible, he might not be the backup for this team. He showed a few too many holes in his game that led to a 3-7 record without Rodgers. With the Hundley hitting the free agent market this year, it’s probably time to let him go.

Hundley’s extended look gave the Packers exactly what they needed. Some teams might still be all-in on the UCLA product, leading them to offering him decent money. If that happens, it should now be a no-brainer for the Packers to steer clear.

If they can lock him up on a cheap contract, maybe pull the trigger. That seems unlikely though, and now Green Bay knows it wouldn’t be worth a sizable contract to hold onto him as the backup.

Davante Adams

A legitimate number one receiver. That’s what everyone learned about Davante Adams in 2017. After two so-so years to start his career, Adams was fantastic in 2016. He followed it up with an even more impressive year in 2017.

While his numbers weren’t exactly as good, he played in less games, and saw most of his time with Brett Hundley as opposed to Aaron Rodgers. The fantastic season was all the Packers needed to see, as they signed Adams to a five-year deal late in the year. This gives Rodgers a top receiver for a long time.

Blake Martinez

Another standout from the year was Blake Martinez. He looked solid in his rookie year, and took a big step in year two. The linebacker looks like someone who can anchor a defense. With someone in the middle the Packers can build around, they have one less position to worry about.

Depth and Experience

Injuries, wow. They hit hard for the Green Bay Packers in 2017 and it showed. While Aaron Rodgers was clearly the big fish, he wasn’t the only one that got hooked. Injuries to the running backs, offensive line, and entire defense highlighted the season. This showed that at a lot of positions (specifically offensive line and defensive back) depth and experience are invaluable.

Green Bay’s problem was that they didn’t have much of either at those two positions. This was blatantly obvious during the season, and is now clearly something the Packers should highlight this offseason.

Next: 2018 NFL Playoffs: Predicting the entire postseason

Bottom Line

The Green Bay Packers didn’t make the playoffs in 2017, but there’s still a ton to take away from the year. While there were some clear holes that need to be fixed, there were standouts as well. Put it all together (and add Aaron Rodgers back into the mix) and the Packers have the recipe for success.