Green Bay Packers: 5 Most important players in 2018 sans Aaron Rodgers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 28: Davante Adams #17, Aaron Rodgers #12, Aaron Ripkowski #22 and the rest of the Green Bay Packers huddle in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 28, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

3. Blake Martinez, Inside Linebacker

One of the surprises with the Green Bay Packers defense in 2017 was Blake Martinez. He quietly tied for the lead in the NFL in tackles in the 2017 regular season. It was a feat that really went unnoticed until the season was over. He was a Pro Bowl snub, even after being one of the best linebackers in the NFL.

Martinez has solidified his spot as the top inside linebacker. With the season-ending injury to the other inside backer, Jake Ryan, Martinez’s role has increased dramatically. It will be up to him to produce at a high level week in and week out for the majority of the season. Luckily, he has been able to produce as one of the leaders of the defense. He has been able to be someone the Packers can count on time and again.

Martinez will be the most important member of the defense for 2018 and beyond, to be honest. At just 24 years of age, his career is just starting and still has a lot of room to improve despite being one of the best already. It will be exciting to watch Martinez finally get the recognition he deserves this season. That’s if he puts up numbers similar if not better than what he did last year.

After a mediocre rookie year in 2016, Martinez improved drastically in 2017. He looks to improve even more in 2018 and become another example of a Ted Thompson draft gem.

Martinez will also be able to mentor rookie Oren Burks. Burks will likely take over as Jake Ryan’s replacement for the majority of 2018. If Burks is able to model his game after Martinez, Green Bay could easily have one of the best inside linebacker duos in the NFL this season. That will pay big dividends for this defense that looks to become one of the best in the league again.

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