Packers 2017 Recap: T Jason Spriggs
The Packers traded up to draft Jason Spriggs 2016 despite having entrenched starters at both tackle positions.
An incredible athlete, Spriggs had a rough rookie season but figured to get plenty of chances early in the season with both Bryan Bulaga and David Bakhtiari battling injuries.
Unfortunately, Spriggs shortly found himself dealing with injury issues as well, putting an early damper on his sophomore season.
2017 Stats
- Appeared in seven games with five starts (278 snaps on offense, 17 on special teams)
Expectations going into the season: Moderate
Expectations were: Not met
What we said after last season
Packers 2016 Recap: OT Jason Spriggs – Both inside and outside, Spriggs showed serious issues with strength, which was a knock on him even dating back to his collegiate playing days in Indiana. He wasn’t reliable enough to be left alone in blocking assignments, and he had major trouble with power rushers.
If Spriggs wants to reward the Packers for their major investment, he needs to get much stronger this offseason. If he doesn’t, the Packers will have paid a heavy price for a workout warrior.
Analysis: Spriggs makes strides but still disappoints
Early on it looked like Spriggs had made close to no improvement on his disastrous 2016 effort. Still too light and not strong enough, Spriggs struggled through training camp and the preseason slate before injuring a hamstring on a special teams play in the season opener.
Spriggs ended up on injured reserve but returned in November to play in six more games, starting five down the stretch.
Spriggs played better after his injury, but he hasn’t played consistently enough to merit any kind of lasting confidence heading into his third season. It was good to see some signs of improvement, but the Packers should still be concerned about their significant investment paying off.
