Two names are at the center of the Packers’ offseason: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. While it’s certainly understandable why that’s the case, there are several other big decisions the team needs to make regardless of what happens with that pair. Two such examples are pending free agents De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas.
When speaking with the media, general manager Brian Gutekunst made it clear he wants both players back in Green Bay. Campbell signed with the Packers last June, reuniting him with head coach Matt Lafleur after their time together in Atlanta. The 28-year-old was brought in to provide a veteran presence in the absence of Christian Kirksey, who departed for Houston. The result was a career year for Campbell.
Campbell made 146 tackles, to go along with two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions in 16 games this year. Those numbers earned him First-Team All-Pro honors for the first time in his six-year career. “The season he had, I’m so impressed with the person and the player, and he just made a world of difference for the defense”, Gutekunst said. He added that the team is “very optimistic and hopeful to get him back into the fold”.
As for Douglas, he may have found a home after five NFL stops in the past three years. Despite not joining the team until October (as a fill-in for the injured Jaire Alexander), he led the Packers in interceptions with five, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The 27-year-old also registered 57 total tackles, and put up career-best numbers in pass coverage, allowing only a 44.5 opposing passer rating.
Douglas has let it be known he is open to a new deal in Green Bay, something which the team is also amenable to. Gutekunst said, “to predict what he was able to do for us, I’d be lying to you if I thought he was going to come here…and impact our team the way he did”.
Both players have certainly earned raises over the figures they played on in 2021, which complicates Green Bay’s situation. Despite recent restructures with Kenny Clark and Aaron Jones, they are still well over the cap, and seemingly no closer to permanent deals with either Rodgers or Adams. If they are able to keep Campbell and Douglas, though, their defense would be well positioned to repeat its top-ten performance from 2021.
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