Packers Players Prepare for Big Statistical Milestones in 2022

Stats are for losers, says Bill Belichick, but Bill doesn’t run a football blog, so what does he know about being a loser, anyway? Here’s where a bunch of Packers players stand on their respective all-time statistical leaderboards heading into 2022.

Aaron Rodgers can set himself up to own all the Packers’ passing records in 2023

Aaron Rodgers really has nothing to prove statistically. He already owns the Packers’ all-time passing touchdowns record, and at this point in his career, all he can really do is take over the rest of the records, too. He probably won’t do it this year, though. He’s about 6,000 yards behind Brett Favre for the all-time passing yardage record and about 700 completions away from taking over the top spot in completions. A typical year will put him in good position to finish things off next year, though.

Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon prepare to climb the leaderboards

His contract means this is probably Aaron Jones’ final season in Green Bay, but if it is, he’ll end his time with the Packers in some pretty elite company. With 4,163 career rushing yards, he’s already in the top five all-time, and he’s only about 900 yards behind John Brockington for the third spot. He’ll surely catch Tony Canadeo, who’s just 20 yards ahead of him on the all-time list.

Jones’ 41 career rushing touchdowns put him at fourth all-time in that measure. If he manages to score 10 times on the ground this year, he’ll jump Paul Hornung for third place on that list.

AJ Dillon, meanwhile, isn’t threatening any all-time leaders, but he can make some big progress on the leaderboard. With 1,045 career rushing yards, he’s currently 44th in Packers history. But a 1,100-yard season would vault him into the top 20.

Randall Cobb may join the top 10 all-time in receiving yards this year

Randall Cobb’s 5,899 career receiving yards are currently good for 11th all-time, but he’s less than 500 yards behind Max McGee for the 10th spot. 500 yards seems like a big ask for his age-32 season; he’s only cracked that number once since 2018 and was only on pace for about 530 yards during his injury-shortened 2021 season. But it’s certainly not impossible, and reaching that milestone would be a nice capstone to his Packers career.

Cobb is already in the top-10 in receiving touchdowns with 46, but another four scores would put him just past James Lofton (49) for the ninth-best mark in Packers history.

Allen Lazard is the only other Packers receiver who stands to make a big jump up the leaderboards this year. His 1,448 receiving yards currently put him dead even with Aaron Jones for 48th in Packers history. A 1,000-yard season would push him into the top-25 though, getting him just past Javon Walker’s 2,444-yard career total.

Finally, with two receiving touchdowns this year, Marcedes Lewis will have scored more times in his Packers tenure than Jimmy Graham did in his, making him the definitive winner of the Former Star Tight end Career Renaissance Tour Olympics.

Preston Smith and Rashan Gary can join some elite company

Neither of the Packers’ top two edge rushers is set to threaten the Packers’ all-time sack leaders, but they’ll pass some big names this year.

Preston Smith is currently tied with Julius Peppers and Dave Pureifoy for 24th on the Packers’ career sack leaderboard at Pro Football Reference (which includes unofficial sack data from prior to 1982). Five sacks would push Smith well into the top 20 all-time, vaulting him past players like Za’Darius Smith, Cullen Jenkins and Mike Daniels. If Smith gets to 10 sacks, he’d also pass Vonnie Holliday and Nick Perry, earning a spot in the top 15 all-time.

Rashan Gary, only entering his fourth year, is a bit further down the leaderboard. His 16.5 career sacks only get him to 43rd all-time in the unofficial statistics. However, even six sacks from Gary would push him past Hall of Famers Dave Robinson and LeRoy Butler, and 10 sacks would put him ahead of the aforementioned Za’Darius Smith.

Mason Crosby might make his records insurmountable this year

Finally, Mason Crosby is by far the most successful kicker in Packers history. He already holds the records for most made field goals and most made PATs. But a solid season would push his career totals so far ahead of everyone else in team annals that it’s worth mentioning.

Crosby’s 370 career field goals already dwarf Ryan Longwell’s 226 career makes. But if he puts another 30 field goals through the uprights, he’d be the first player in Packers history to crack 400. 30 field goals is doable but would represent a pretty busy year for Crosby; he’s only hit 30 field goals in a season three times in his career and hasn’t done it since 2018.

In the world of PATs, Crosby is again well ahead of second place. He’s converted 696 PATs so far in his Packers career; Longwell managed just 376. If Crosby can make 50 PATs this year, he’ll have twice as many as Longwell. 50 is pretty doable, too. Crosby made 49 in 2021 and 59 the year prior.