The free-agent signings of Za’Darius and Preston Smith get a lot of attention – and they should – but the addition of two players during the regular season are big factors in the Packers’ 2019 success.
Kick returner Tyler Ervin has rescued the team’s punt return game, moving it from historically-bad to an offensive weapon.
Remember, the Packers had negative-eight yards on punt returns through 13 weeks.
Ervin has averaged nine-point-six yards-a-return.
Offensive tackle Jared Velheer was retired just a few weeks ago.
He played every snap against Seattle while Bryan Bulaga was out with a concussion and then the flu, and Velheer didn’t allow a single sack, quarterback hit and no hurries.
