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Five Packers Primed for a Breakout Season

Updated: Aug 10, 2021

Each new NFL season is an opportunity for young, unproven players to live up to their draft day hype and become household names within an organization. In 2018, Kenny Clark took it to the next level. In 2019, Aaron Jones catapulted himself into the spotlight on offense. In 2020, Jaire Alexander became widely accepted as a top cornerback in the league.


Which Packers will make a name for themselves in 2021?



5. A.J. Dillon


Both on the ground and through the air, expect "Quadzilla" to become an integral part of Matt LaFleur's offense in 2021. While many believe Dillon has already arrived, let's remember that his Week 16 highlight performance last season came against a poor Titans run defense in the snow. He'll continue to work on both his vision as a runner and ability in pass protection but is more than capable of matching the 1,000-yard, double-digit TD season that Derrick Henry posted in his lone season with LaFleur in Tennessee.


4. Kingsley Keke


The Packers' decision not to resign former third-rounder Montravius Adams in the offseason effectively paved the road for the former Texas A&M Aggie to assume the starting defensive end spot opposite Dean Lowry. Unfortunately, Keke has been sidelined for the start of training camp with what's believed to be an ankle injury. Should he be able to return before the beginning of the regular season, Keke will become a powerful addition to a Green Bay pass rush that hasn't been able to consistently receive help from its D-line.


3. Jon Runyan


With Elgton Jenkins likely to backfill at left tackle to begin the season, Runyan has emerged as a candidate to land one of two available spots on the starting O-line. And, should we really be surprised? Less than 45 minutes into his first game as a pro, Runyan seamlessly filled in for an injured Lane Taylor in favor of other veteran linemen. Runyan's versatile, NFL-ready skill set should position the 2020 sixth-rounder as a long-term option at both guard and right tackle.

2. Darnell Savage


Much like former safety Nick Collins began his career, Savage has routinely showcased premier ball skills and closing speed in two seasons as a pro. However, despite bagging four interceptions in 2020, he's been responsible for a number of big gains on the ground that morphed into home-run TDs with Savage's poor angle on the ball carrier. To become the "complete" safety the Packers sought in their 2019 first-round pick, look for Savage to do a better job containing these runs that leak into the second tier during 2021.

1. Rashan Gary


Just about every Packers fan has this fellow 2019 first-rounder as a candidate to break through in 2021. The victim of sitting behind high-profile talent on the depth chart, Gary played only about 40% of defensive snaps in 2020, most of them coming on passing downs. But, the combination of Preston Smith's new, incentive-based contract and Gary's dominant start to training camp hint at the former Wolverine leapfrogging Smith as the starting outline linebacker opposite Za'Darius Smith.

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