The 2022 offseason looks bad for the Green Bay Packers.
After putting the franchise tag on star receiver Davante Adams, he would refuse to play for the team.
That would then set into motion a trade between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Packers, sending Adams to Vegas.
They also lost other critical offensive players to free agency.
Most of the cuts came because of the cap space for the 2022 season.
They had to let players go because they were over the cap.
However, that will bite them as they lost too many talented players.
Are the Packers now worse off for 2022, and what is the reason?
Packers Still Have Aaron Rodgers And Randall Cobb
The two major players left with the Packers in 2022 are Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb.
However, the lack of weapons for Rodgers could put the back-to-back league MVP in a tough spot.
lol. Yeah, people spouted that same crap about Rodgers when he had a down & injured season 3 years ago too, and was older than Russ is now as well.
And the next thing Rodgers did was win back-to-back MVP awards.
— T. Kothe (@tkothe_nfl) April 1, 2022
When Cobb was brought back to the team in 2021, he was more of a secondary receiver than before.
He only had 28 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns in 2021.
Numbers like that don’t scream number one receiver and won’t help Rodgers with taking the team to the playoffs.
However, Cobb had one wonderful season with the Packers in 2014 before Adams was drafted.
During that season, he had 91 receptions for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Rodgers and the Packers need him to find that 2014 version to help them in 2022.
What Key Players Did The Packers Lose?
The offense took the brunt of losses during the offseason.
Beside the Adams trade they lost offensive linemen, Lucas Patrick and Billy Turner.
They also lost receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown.
Both Patrick and Turner leaving hurts the front line that helped protect Rodgers during the 2021 season.
Valdes-Scantling was another helper for Rodgers in 2021, having 26 receptions for 430 yards and three touchdowns.
Without these players, the Packers offense will suffer some with protection and production.
However, the defense also lost one of their best linebackers.
Za’Darius Smith was cut by the Packers after not playing most of 2021 because of an injury.
The salary cap is real.
The #Packers didn't cut Za'Darius Smith and Billy Turner because they suck.
— Bruce Irons – Packers FTW (@BruceIronsNFL) March 14, 2022
His play on the field helped the Packers defense and his departure will take away one of its best weapons.
Who Is To Blame For All The Players Lost?
Everyone is pointing fingers at who is to blame for these players leaving Green Bay.
Some want to blame management of the Packers.
Others blame Rodgers for his contract, which is one of the highest in the NFL
He waited to restructure his contract only after he knew about the Adams trade.
That time wasted forced the Packers to cut key players to get under the cap.
It also kept money out of their pockets to offer to Adams before their franchise tag of him.
However, the blame is equally on Rodgers and the Packers management.
Rodgers had his chance to restructure his contract before 2022 to help keep players around.
Management also knew they needed to get under the cap and could have approached Rodgers before 2022.
That is why both are to blame for the Packers being worse off for 2022.
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