1) Introduction: For Greg Jennings, the 2012 season was the last year remaining on his contract. After suffering a groin injury in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, Jennings struggled to return to form, which opened the door for Randall Cobb and James Jones to emerge within the offense. But later in the season, Jennings finally returned to the Pro Bowl form Packers fans have grown accustomed to.
2) Profile:
Gregory Jennings Jr.
- Age: 29
- Born: 09/21/1983, in Kalamazoo , MI
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 198
- College: Western Michigan
- Rookie Year: 2006
- NFL Experience: 7 years
3) Expectations coming into the season: Entering the 2012 season, expectations for Greg Jennings were extremely high. After all, Jennings had at least 920 receiving yards in his previous five seasons. But after suffering a groin injury in the season opener against the 49ers, his season took a turn for the worse.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Injuries clearly hampered Jennings throughout the season. He failed to surpass 46 receiving yards in a single game until week 17 at Minnesota, in which he caught a season-high eight passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The team’s three-game stretch to finish the season was clearly the highlight of his season. Including the two playoff games, Jennings averaged six catches for 78.3 yards over the team’s final three games. Consider everything prior to be “low-lights” of his 2012 season.
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Down the stretch, the team needed Jennings, and he certainly delivered. Looking at the season as a whole, Jennings made minimal impact, especially considering the emergence of Cobb and Jones.
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: Cobb injured his ankle in week 16 against the Tennessee Titans, and fortunately for the Packers, Jennings was able to pick up right where Cobb left off. Over the last three games, Jennings basically filled Cobb’s shoes within the offense. Jennings was the Packers’ most productive receiver in the postseason.
Season Report Card:
(C-) Level of expectations met during the season
(C-) Contributions to team’s overall success.
(B-) Contributions to team during the playoffs
Overall Grade: C
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Marques is a Journalism student, serving as the Sports Editor of UW-Green Bay\'s campus newspaper The Fourth Estate and a Packers writer at Jersey Al\'s AllGBP.com. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.
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He did fill Cobb’s shoes for the final few games but that doesn’t make him worth the 10 Million. That type of money can get a 1st or 2nd rd WR that will be better and younger.
Or an OL and DL with a 3rd rnd WR thrown in for that matter.
As TT says, better to let a player go a year 2 early than a year 2 late. He’s been a great player for the Pack & will be missed. However this is likely his last big payday so we can’t blame him for wanting the big contract. Gonna have to come from someone else’s salary cap though. Wish you well Greg!
Well said.
It would have been nice to keep him, BUT. Hi self-evaluation was substntially higher than what the Packers value estimate was. Hence, on the open market. They will need to find a goood WR prospect this off-season to the hole.
The cap is driving every move the Packers make this off-season. Acutually it probably is a situation that is here to stay. I think the Packers are around $25 mil under the cap after assuming Jennings is gone and the recent roster moves. Sounds like a lot, but AR, CM3 and Raji can eat that all up in one fel swoop.
Plan for the future and cut lose of the guys who have big contracts a little sooner. The only 30 plus positions left might be QB and a lineman here and there.
good point Ron, the cap has to be TT’s main concern right now, which is why I expect him to draft a WR and CB both in the first 4 rounds. I love Jennings and will always be a fan of his but TT is a master at drafting WR’s. Jordy Nelson, Randal Cobb, James Jones, Greg Jennings… even Terrance Murphy looked like a good WR before he suffered the career ending neck injury. TT can draft a WR better than anyone. The cap has to be why Tramon Williams is on the hot seat. Guy makes way too much money for the type of play we receive. Hawk too
Nailed it, Ron. Jennings is still a great player, but the Packers won’t be able to match the deal he’ll get on the open market. Strictly a business decision.