The Green Bay Packers have won three straight games and four of their last five after a slow start. While players like Jordan Love and Rashan Gary have made headlines, here is a look at five Packers players who have quietly been playing well in recent games.

Fifth Packers Player Quietly Playing Well Recently: C Josh Myers

Center Josh Myers struggled mightily early in the season. He was missing blocks against the run and taking too many penalties.

In recent games, however, Myers has been playing better. When you don’t mention an offensive lineman, that usually means he’s doing his job efficiently. That fits Myers over the last four games.

The pass blocking remains solid while Myers’ run blocking has improved. He still makes a few noticeable mistakes each game, but the number and impact of these gaffes are way down.

Fourth Player: TE Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft got off to a slow start to his rookie campaign. The third-round pick out of South Dakota State mostly saw action as a blocker early in the season. He was behind Luke Musgrave on the depth chart and didn’t see many targets.

When Musgrave suffered an injury that kept him out of the lineup, Kraft stepped up and became the starter. He has seven catches in the last three games which includes his first career NFL touchdown.

Kraft demonstrated the ability to pick up yards after the catch, something he excelled at in college. He has shown the potential that made him a third-round pick and should continue to grow as he gets more comfortable with his role in the offense.

Third Packers Player Quietly Playing Well Recently: RB A.J. Dillon

When Aaron Jones suffered a knee injury, A.J. Dillon took over as the team’s primary ball carrier. The former Boston College star has not put up elite numbers, but he’s quietly been effective running between the tackles and picking up key yards for the offense.

Dillon gained more than 70 yards twice in the last four games. He’s also seen a bigger role as a receiver with Jones out of the lineup and made some nimble moves in space.

Dillon isn’t making headlines, but he’s getting the job done. As the weather gets colder and the field possibly gets slicker from rain or snow, Dillon should be even more effective.

Second Player: CB Carrington Valentine

Few seventh-round draft picks make a big impact in their rookie season, but cornerback Carrington Valentine has been an exception. With Jaire Alexander in and out of the lineup, Eric Stokes injured and Rasul Douglas traded, Valentine has been thrust into the starting lineup.

The Kentucky alum has started eight of the first 12 games this season. He plays a physical style of football and has done a good job in pass defense. Valentine has broken up seven passes this season. Opposing quarterbacks are only completing 45.9 percent of their passes when throwing to receivers covered by Valentine according to pro-football-reference.com.

The Packers pass defense has held up well despite the injuries in the secondary and the strong play of Valentine has been a big reason for that. He appears to have a very bright future in Green Bay.

First Packers Player Quietly Playing Well Recently: DL Kenny Clark

On the surface, Kenny Clark has just 0.5 sacks and one tackle for loss in the last three games. But that doesn’t tell the entire story of the UCLA alum’s contributions.

In those three contests, Clark has been credited with 20 pressures and he’s had six pressures or more in each of those games. He also forced a fumble and made eight tackles. It was Clark who knocked down Justin Herbert’s fourth down pass that clinched the win against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Defensive linemen rarely get a lot of glory unless they compile high sack totals, but Clark has been effective and disruptive for the Green Bay defense.

Clark remains the team’s best defensive lineman and he provides veteran leadership on a young team that desperately needs it.

 

 

Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers

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