Green Bay Packers: 5 Players who could surprise in 2019

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SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 15: Aaron Rodgers #12 and other members of the Green Bay Packers take the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 15, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

3. Tyler Lancaster, DT

One of the unsung heroes of the 2018 season was rookie defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster. A virtual unknown coming into year, Lancaster defied the odds as an undrafted free agent and made 12 appearances for Green Bay last season. He finished his rookie campaign with 26 tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses and one quarterback hit in five starts.

But Lancaster’s stats don’t tell us the whole story. A valuable run-stuffer, 15 of Lancaster’s 26 tackles came within two yards of the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Over the last six weeks of last season, no defender had more run stops than Lancaster. Even when he wasn’t making the tackle, Lancaster was eating up blocks for his fellow linemen to pounce on runners.

#Packers Tyler Lancaster (@BigLanny6767) led all interior defenders over the last six weeks of the season with 17 stops against the run.#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/1uC4jF4L8K
— PFF GB Packers (@PFF_Packers) January 1, 2019

The Packers have an extremely deep rotation on the defensive line entering 2019. Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark will man the interior as starters, followed by backups Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams and rookie fifth-rounder Kingsley Keke. Lancaster appears to be a forgotten man amongst the media, but don’t count him out as a key contributor this coming season.

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