2022 Packers Stock Report: Week 16
Take a look at the stock report for the Green Bay Packers after a 26-20 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 16.
By GunnarDavis
It's a Christmas Miracle!
The Green Bay Packers are still in the playoff hunt, baby.
Things looked grim for a while there. Some of the Ghosts of Christmas Past came back to haunt the Packers throughout the first half. Miscues offensively, blown coverages defensively and injuries made it look bleak at times.
But three second half interceptions and better offensive football powered Green Bay past Miami -- and Christmas was saved.
So let's get into the stock report for the Green Bay Packers after a 26-20 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 16.
BUY
Marcedes Lewis- No, Marcedes Lewis isn't a star player. Heck, he's not even an every-down tight end. But he knows his role and he does it so well. He powers through defenders in the run game, and sometimes is called to stay in protection and pass block. The 38-year old even caught two important passes on Sunday -- a touchdown on fourth and goal, and an over the shoulder catch on a wheel route that he wasn't supposed to get the ball on. He posted the highest offensive grade according to PFF (81.3). I love him.
Turnovers- The Packers defense has been inconsistent this season, it's no secret. At times, the unit can play up to its capabilities and look like an elite defense. Other times, it just looks straight up bad. But one area this unit has excelled in recently is forcing turnovers. The Packers forced four on Sunday, and have recorded eight turnovers in the last three games. That's up from 12 turnovers in the first 12 games. Buy.
Preston Smith- This is the second-straight week I've included Preston Smith on the buy list. But he's really stacking solid performances. He led the defense again on Sunday, recording two pressures, a sack and a forced fumble. It's good to see him produce this season, and he'll need to continue to do so in these next two games.
SELL
Adrian Amos- A model of consistency over his first few seasons in Green Bay, it's become clear that Amos hasn't been the same player this season. He's caught flat-footed often, and he's normally around the ball when a big play is made by opposing offenses. That's not a good thing. In his last year of his contract, I'd be surprised to see him back in Green Bay. The safety position is one of this team's top priorities this offseason.
Royce Newman- With David Bakhtiari out on Sunday, and Yosh Nijman injured, Newman was called in to man the right tackle position against Miami. He did the job, but posted two penalties and struggled in the run game. We all remember how well Royce Newman played in the first game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings. If either Bakhtiari or Nijman play on Sunday, I would be absolutely shocked to see him out there. Sell.
HOLD
Injuries- Keisean Nixon, Christian Watson, Bakhtiari and Nijman are all important players to this Packers team. All four will have statuses up in the air for the next few days until gameday. Again, I'm holding out hope that all of them can play, especially with how important this game is. But we'll just have to wait and see.
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Gunnar Davis is a lifelong Packers fan and a recent graduate of Simpson College, where he was a 3-year letterwinner on the offensive line and graduated with a degree in multimedia communications. You can follow him on Twitter at @Gunnar57Davis.
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Comments (28)
NJ-RICK
December 28, 2022 at 01:05 pm
The best news of the week was that D Lowry was placed on IR. I mean our brilliant GM lets Pro Bowl Z Smith go to the Vikings and he keeps D Lowry. Just another reason why the Packers need a new GM... We just became a better defense with Lowry on IR.
NJ-RICK
December 28, 2022 at 01:05 pm
The best news of the week was that D Lowry was placed on IR. I mean our brilliant GM lets Pro Bowl Z Smith go to the Vikings and he keeps D Lowry. Just another reason why the Packers need a new GM... We just became a better defense with Lowry on IR.
NJ-RICK
December 28, 2022 at 01:05 pm
The best news of the week was that D Lowry was placed on IR. I mean our brilliant GM lets Pro Bowl Z Smith go to the Vikings and he keeps D Lowry. Just another reason why the Packers need a new GM... We just became a better defense with Lowry on IR.
NJ-RICK
December 28, 2022 at 01:05 pm
The best news of the week was that D Lowry was placed on IR. I mean our brilliant GM lets Pro Bowl Z Smith go to the Vikings and he keeps D Lowry. Just another reason why the Packers need a new GM... We just became a better defense with Lowry on IR.
Curt
December 28, 2022 at 01:08 pm
The cap numbers were what - $20 million different - unfair comparison
BradHTX
December 28, 2022 at 02:41 pm
Also… HE DIDN’T WANT TO PLAY FOR THE PACKERS ANY MORE. Just like Davante, you can argue whether they are better off with or without him, but you can’t force a player to sign a contract.
It’s a dumb comment the first time; more so repeated four additional times.
dobber
December 28, 2022 at 01:20 pm
" I mean our brilliant GM lets Pro Bowl Z Smith go to the Vikings and he keeps D Lowry. "
They cut Z loose out of necessity. Once that move was made, there's no control where he goes or who he goes to.
wildbill
December 28, 2022 at 06:43 pm
Also Z had a back injury his last year with us, couple that with his salary and not wanting to be here makes it time to move on. When he started crying about not being voted captain said it all about him as a person. The players didn’t vote for you for a reason, be a man about it….geez
mnbadger
December 29, 2022 at 01:14 pm
No matter how hard I've lobbied packer nation to trade DL94 for a 6th round pick, I'd never wish harm on him physically.
Sorry NJ-Rick, as long as he's on this team, he's one of us and we shouldn't hope for injury.
That's pretty low - we're not 'queens fans.
GPG!
NJ-RICK
December 28, 2022 at 01:05 pm
The best news of the week was that D Lowry was placed on IR. I mean our brilliant GM lets Pro Bowl Z Smith go to the Vikings and he keeps D Lowry. Just another reason why the Packers need a new GM... We just became a better defense with Lowry on IR.
Untylu1968
December 28, 2022 at 03:32 pm
You sure as hell don't have to be brilliant to figure out why one was kept over the other. At some point, the money factor, along with the fact that Z had checked out and didn't want to be a packer anymore, comes into play. You can't pay everyone!
Since'75
December 28, 2022 at 03:52 pm
Z Smith might have had a case of the Davante Adams.
Z and the Packers had problems during the restructure times. The pushing money down the road game.
Not saying who was more at fault (i wasn't there) but like Adams, the consensus was Z Smith was not coming back.
The Packers might have taken some of Z Smiths guaranteed money during the 2nd restructure, and postured themselves into less dead cap money to release him for cap savings the next off season, which they did.
LambeauPlain
December 28, 2022 at 01:07 pm
Turnovers are the great equalizer for a struggling defense. I think the Pack had 2 forced turnovers by Reed's hustle and Douglas's great effort baiting Tua into a poor throw and INT.
The other two were gifts from horrible throws by Tua who may have been concussed. Certainly not "forced".
I don't care how the Packers get turnovers because without them, Barry's D is not very good. With them, the D goes to the sidelines and let the O try to control the game.
T7Steve
December 28, 2022 at 01:19 pm
"forced" is a loose term. I believe the pass rush pressure in the second half had a lot to do with the decisions Tua made on those throws.
croatpackfan
December 28, 2022 at 02:20 pm
Of course. It does not matter if Tua had concussion, it is brilliant plays from Packers D.
"I believe the pass rush pressure in the second half had a lot to do with the decisions Tua made on those throws."
You obviously did not watch much of Tua and how he is playing. It was strange to see him throwing that bad in 2nd half. Also, when he had clean pocket. Tua also excells in avoiding pass rushes and can run by himself.
My God, even Jaire clearly stated that his interception had nothing to do with him. He was surprised that Tua badly overtrown his receiver and Jaire just put the hands as "basket" to catch that ball.
It would be really nice to win vs Vikings, but the problem is that many of the fans who are now glowing and see Packers all the way to the SB, would have painful awakening. If not sooner than when they will face 49ers - team that plays the best football in NFL of late.
T7Steve
December 28, 2022 at 01:15 pm
I like your (buys) Gunnar.
I hesitate on your "sell" of Amos Gunnar. His availability has been his best ability this year but, I think he'd do better with better play around him. He's asked to cover up too many things right now. He shows great when everyone's firing on all cylinders (coaches putting them in the right places).
We've had the O-line on "hold or sell" all year it seems. Start to see a light at the end of the tunnel then the door slams shut. Having Newman at right tackle is as popular as a pork store in Jerusalem. Let's get healthy and beat the Vikings!
Slim11
December 28, 2022 at 03:36 pm
I am still confused by Newman at RT. The team depth chart lists Walker as the backup, not Newman. I know Newman played RT in preseason. If he starts against the Vikings, I hope there is TE help for him.
Slim11
December 28, 2022 at 03:36 pm
Deleted duplicate post
LeotisHarris
December 28, 2022 at 02:24 pm
I get the buy, sell, and hold, but any thoughts on the best news of the week?
Lphill
December 28, 2022 at 02:38 pm
what is the best news of the week?
T7Steve
December 28, 2022 at 02:48 pm
I'm hoping he doesn't mean Lowry going to IR.
He'd be great depth help on the bench (where he should be) and that might be a place he could have impact with his pass rush late in games "IF" we had a lead.
LeotisHarris
December 28, 2022 at 06:15 pm
Nah, just riffing on NJ-Rick's heavy submit button finger. I'd never cheer the injury of any player on any team.
T7Steve
December 29, 2022 at 07:40 am
Great! Didn't think that sounded like you. Sorry for the bad assumption.
Coldworld
December 28, 2022 at 02:44 pm
Amos had a very good game. He made several key tackles on plays that could have changed the game. He’s not and never has been a speedster who is going to be effective chasing down speedsters like that. To expect that is to ignore why we signed him and what he’s good at and athletically capable of. Ironically, injury gave Savage the chance to go what he’s best at too after Ford went out. That played a part in stemming the mega plays.
A buy on Amos. I will leave a decision on Savage for another week, partly to see consistency, but largely because Barry probably learns nothing and tries to use him as Amos should be, and thus Savage struggles. Ford I’d more Amos than Savage, despite straight line speed. That pairing is a bit of a liability against deep passing attacks.
Amazing that if you don’t fight against athletic profile and skill sets you get better results. Yet Barry does every game With his use of safeties and DBs. A big reason why he’s not a success. It’s a big reason why the Safeties and Corners have underperformed compared to talent this year in my view: the safeties last year too, but he seems to have moved further in the wrong direction this season. The last game really gave the root of many of the key issues at S and DB clarity for me.
LambeauPlain
December 28, 2022 at 10:33 pm
After rewatching the game, Amos had a bad game, IMO. He again was often out of position and late to the play (Barry's scheme?). He is so very tentative tackling, too. Maybe he's playing hurt. Wouldn't surprise me, he's a warrior. But he's fallen off badly this year. Could be the decline all NFL players face.
Since'75
December 28, 2022 at 03:33 pm
Well, i'm going to keep things real in here despite how hugely unpopular that undertaking is.
My apologies in advance where we disagree.
Feel free to thumbs down, and enjoy some cotton candy.
Mercedes Lewis went to work, and he did his job.
That's what he did, his job.
His job is catching passes, scoring some points, and being a 6th lineman here and there, being a good locker room guy, and Aaron Rodgers buddy.
This season's output......6 passes, 66 yards, 2 TD's (WOW)....in only 15 games.
All for only 4 million dollars.
Here's my question.....
Can we not find any tight end that can catch more than 6 passes, score more, and block, that's maybe 12-15 years younger for under 4 million a year?
I get it, i get it....Gute doesn't have a lot of luck drafting tight ends, signing free agent tight ends, and drafting 3rd round picks in general.
Lewis is kind of like Kuhn back in the day, make a play about every 5,6 games and everyone falls all over themselves singing kumbaya.
Two very nice guys....granted.
But can we move on and find someone, much younger, more productive, much cheaper, that doesn't need to sit out of practices every week for old age rest?
Can we move on?
Preston Smith...Going into week 15, Preston had 5.5 sacks. Then after playing the Rams decimated O line, he had 7.5 sacks, then had another sack against Tua Tagovailoa.
So far this season...Preston has 36 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 FF, ....Pro Bowl? In his dreams.
Worth 13.9 million?.....you be the judge.
Adrian Amos....I don't know what happened to Amos as he seems to have fallen off the cliff this season.
Royce Newman.....Why am i still hearing him talked about.
A bench player, on his best day.
Tundraboy
December 29, 2022 at 12:10 am
Can not disagree. Need a TE!!!
GP1
December 29, 2022 at 03:43 am
Why is Newman still here?
He cannot play at this level ie GreenBay Pasckers level which is not flash.
Try the young blokes. Who knows what we might find?