1) Introduction: With the exception of Bart Starr, there may not be a more popular Packer than Donald Driver. But everyone’s favorite Driver entered the 2012 with perhaps the lowest expectations of his career. Through training camp, Driver still looked like he belonged. But playing behind Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, Driver’s opportunities figured to be limited this season.
2) Profile:
Donald Jerome Driver
- Age: 38
- Born: 02/02/1975, in Houston, TX
- Height: 6’0″
- Weight: 194
- College: Alcorn State
- Rookie Year: 1999
- NFL Experience: 14 years
3) Expectations coming into the season: Because the Packers were so deep at the position to start the season, Driver wasn’t expected to be a difference-maker within the offense. In fact, some even questioned whether or not the team should use a roster spot on the aging wide receiver. But nonetheless, the Packers decided to keep Driver around for one more season.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: The highlight of Driver’s season was week two against the Chicago Bears. Leading 16-3 in the fourth quarter, Aaron Rodgers hit Driver for a 26-yard touchdown. It was Driver’s only reception of the game and the first of just two scores on the season. As far as low-lights, Driver was a healthy scratch four times in 2012. Starting with the Dec. 2 matchup against the Vikings, Driver missed three of the team’s final five games of the regular season. He was also inactive against the Vikings in the wild card round of the playoffs.
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Driver caught just eight passes in 14 appearances this season, so his on-field contributions to the team’s success were clearly minimal. His eight receptions and 77 receiving yards were his lowest totals since his rookie season in 1999.
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: After being declared inactive in the wild card round against the Vikings, Driver suited up against the San Francisco 49ers. He was in uniform but didn’t have an impact on the game, as he was held without a catch.
Season Report Card:
(C) Level of expectations met during the season
(D) Contributions to team’s overall success.
(F) Contributions to team during the playoffs
Overall Grade: 80 percent (And a huge thanks for a great career.)
——————
Follow @MJEversoll
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.
——————
miss you already DD! you were one of my favorite players to coach. Don’t know why i kept trying to replace you with robert ferguson all those years.
One more chance to say DD was the epitome of a “Team Player” for his entire career. He will be missed.
Expectations met season. D
Team success. F
Playoff success. F
Overall. F
Be real. He did nothing this season. He shouldn’t have been on the roster. And I read that he’s now costing 3M on next years cap. Only reason he was on the roster was winning Dancing and using it to get another year!
Guess it depends on what your expectations were before the season. I said prior to the season, something like, “At the end of the year, we’ll look back on Driver’s season and see no reason why Tori Gurley or DeAndre Borel couldn’t have done the same thing.”
I think that’s accurate.
I had low expectations for him coming into the season, so for that reason, I gave him a C.
Guess you and I were the only ones. I said before the season shouldn’t be on the roster getting paid. Not the popular opinion but proven correct.