Packers Rookie Progress Report Shows Limited Impact

Every year, a draft class arrives with talent, promise and hype. That’s especially true for draft-and-develop teams like the Green Bay Packers, who use the draft as the primary way to build their roster.

It’s early, and drafting and developing should be viewed as a marathon and not a sprint, but the youngest team in the NFL has not received much impact from its draft class.

According to data provided to Packers On SI by Pro Football Focus, the Packers have received the seventh-fewest snaps from their rookies. That data is through Week 4, meaning it’s not skewed by the Week 5 bye.

According to PFF, Green Bay’s draft picks and undrafted rookies had combined to play 344 snaps. That includes snaps from scrimmage as well as special teams. Only the Rams (220), Falcons (271), Steelers (275), Colts (307), Broncos (310) and Seahawks (324) had given fewer snaps to their rookies.

The Jaguars provide the league median with 426 snaps. The Browns, one of four teams with 600-plus snaps, received the most with 618.

Here’s a look at the Packers’ rookie class through the first quarter of the season.

First Round: WR Matthew Golden

The team’s first receiver selected in the first round since 2002, Matthew Golden is off to a solid start. He has caught 11-of-14 passes for 126 yards, with nine of those catches coming in his last two games.

Among this year’s rookie receivers, he is fifth in receptions, yards and yards per game. Of the 11 receivers to be targeted at least 10 times, his 78.6 percent catch rate ranks second and his 9.0 yards per target ranks third.

“I feel like they’ve been good,” Golden said a couple weeks ago. “Obviously, not going to have a perfect game but I feel like for me, I’m going out there and playing fast, getting open. I’m going to keep stacking. Each and every game, I’m going to try to be even better and do whatever I can do to help the team win.”

Punt return has been a work in progress, to state the obvious, as he ranks last in the league with a 4.7-yard average.

Second Round: OT Anthony Belton

Anthony Belton ranks eighth among rookie offensive tackles with 89 snaps on offense (107 overall), with 85 at right tackle and four at left tackle. He probably would have started at right tackle against Dallas in Week 4 if not for an ankle injury sustained at practice.

Nine rookie tackles have played more than 25 snaps. From that group, Belton ranks fourth in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. He has allowed zero sacks and been penalized once.

However, according to league data, the Packers are averaging 0.63 less yards per carry when Belton is on the field. When veteran Darian Kinnard is on the field, the Packers are averaging 0.62 yards more per carry.

“He’s a rookie, so going in, he’s going to play like a rookie,” offensive line coach Luke Butkus said a few days after Belton played all but one snap against Cleveland. “But I was pleasantly surprised, not just how well he played, but just everything – his effort, his intensity, his detail. It wasn’t too big for him.”

Third Round: WR Savion Williams

Savion Williams’ 50 total snaps have come at receiver, wildcat quarterback and kickoff returner. He’s caught 4-of-4 targets for 23 yards – a 5.8-yard average that includes 8.5 yards after the catch per catch – carried five times for 24 yards and averaged 24.4 yards per kickoff return. He had a 16-yard run against Washington and a 16-yard catch against Dallas.

“He missed a lot of time with injuries before but, the last couple of weeks, he’s been stacking some good practices, and I feel great about him,” passing game coordinator Jason Vrable said recently.