When people talk about the 2016 season in Green Bay, they usually lead with four words: "Run the table." It’s the legendary mantra Aaron Rodgers dropped when the team was sitting at a miserable 4-6, looking like they were ready to pack it in for a high draft pick. But honestly, the Green Bay Packers roster 2016 wasn't just about Rodgers being a wizard. It was a bizarre, duct-taped masterpiece of a squad that overcame some of the worst injury luck I’ve ever seen in a professional football team.
Think about it. You had a wide receiver playing running back, a secondary that was basically an open door due to injuries, and a pass rush fueled by a guy who was literally 36 years old.
The Weirdest Backfield in Franchise History
The most fascinating part of the Green Bay Packers roster 2016 was undoubtedly the running back room. Or the lack thereof. Eddie Lacy was supposed to be the hammer, but he ended up on Injured Reserve after just five games. Then James Starks went down.
Suddenly, Mike McCarthy looked at Ty Montgomery—a wide receiver—and said, "You're a tailback now." It sounds like something you’d do in a video game when you’re bored, but it actually worked. Montgomery wore number 88 and ran with this strange, patient style that caught defenses off guard. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry that year. That is absolutely wild for a guy who spent the previous summer running slant routes.
We also saw the rise of Aaron Ripkowski, the fullback who took over the cult-hero mantle from John Kuhn. Between Montgomery’s hybrid play and "Rip" hammering people in the A-gap, the offense found a rhythm nobody expected.
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Aaron Rodgers and the "Run the Table" Offense
You can't talk about the Green Bay Packers roster 2016 without mentioning that Rodgers was playing at a level that felt borderline illegal. He finished the season with 4,428 passing yards and 40 touchdowns against only 7 interceptions.
The targets he had were actually pretty elite, even if they were banged up. Jordy Nelson was in his prime, snagging 14 touchdowns and winning Comeback Player of the Year. Meanwhile, Davante Adams was just starting to turn into the "Davante Adams" we know today, finishing just three yards shy of a 1,000-yard season.
The Underappreciated Wall
While the skill players got the glory, the offensive line was the actual engine. This group was incredibly sturdy:
- David Bakhtiari (Left Tackle) - This was his first Second-team All-Pro season.
- Lane Taylor (Left Guard) - Stepped in after the shocking release of Josh Sitton.
- Corey Linsley (Center) - The reliable anchor in the middle.
- T.J. Lang (Right Guard) - Earned a Pro Bowl nod for his nastiness in the trenches.
- Bryan Bulaga (Right Tackle) - Provided elite pass protection on the edge.
Basically, Rodgers had all the time in the world to wait for Jordy to get open deep. When he didn't, he just scrambled for another 369 yards and four scores himself.
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The Defense: Sacks, Picks, and a Lot of Band-Aids
The defensive side of the Green Bay Packers roster 2016 was a rollercoaster. It started strong but eventually got decimated by injuries, specifically at cornerback. When Sam Shields went down with a season-ending concussion in Week 1, the wheels started to wobble.
By the time the playoffs rolled around, the Packers were starting guys like LaDarius Gunter against elite receivers like Julio Jones. It wasn't pretty. Gunter was a gritty player, but he was an undrafted free agent being asked to do the impossible.
However, the pass rush was legit. Nick Perry finally had his breakout year with 11.0 sacks. And then there was Julius Peppers. Even at 36, the man was a freak of nature, chipping in 7.5 sacks. Clay Matthews was dealing with a nagging shoulder but still managed to be a vocal leader and a disruptor when it mattered.
The Safety Net
If the corners were the weakness, the safeties were the strength. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was everywhere. He had five interceptions and made the Pro Bowl. Morgan Burnett played a "hybrid" linebacker role long before it was trendy in the NFL. These two were the only reason the secondary didn't completely implode during that late-season winning streak.
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Key Rookies and Surprising Contributors
The 2016 draft class actually brought in some dudes who would be staples for years. Kenny Clark was the first-round pick, and while he was only 20 years old at the time, you could see the power. Blake Martinez also stepped in as a rookie and immediately started racking up tackles in the middle of that 3-4 defense.
And who could forget Jared Cook? He only had one touchdown in the regular season, but his sideline catch against the Cowboys in the playoffs is arguably one of the greatest plays in the history of the franchise. It’s the kind of play that makes a "roster" feel like a "legendary team."
What We Can Learn From the 2016 Squad
Looking back at the Green Bay Packers roster 2016, the biggest takeaway isn't just the stats. It’s about roster flexibility. Most teams would have folded when their top two running backs and top three cornerbacks went down.
The Packers stayed alive because they had:
- A generational talent at QB who refused to lose.
- A coaching staff willing to move a WR to RB mid-season.
- An offensive line that gave the playmakers a chance to breathe.
If you're ever looking for a case study on how to survive a "lost" season, this is it. They didn't have the best roster in the league—not by a long shot—but they had the right pieces in the right places when the "table" needed running.
If you want to understand the modern Packers, you have to look at how they drafted and developed guys like Davante Adams and David Bakhtiari during this era. Take a look at the 2016 snap counts compared to the 2017 season to see how many of those "injury replacements" actually earned permanent starting roles the following year. It’s a masterclass in the "Next Man Up" philosophy.