Adrian Amos named Packers most underappreciated player

On every NFL roster, one or two players are, for lack of a better term, underappreciated for what they do on the field. And recently, the team at NFL.com revealed their list of the most underappreciated players in the NFL.

And making that list for the Green Bay Packers is safety Adrian Amos:

“A big reason why the Packers are my model’s second-most likely NFC team to earn a trip to Super Bowl LVII is because of their defense. One football strategy that has been particularly impactful over the past two seasons is the effective use of two-safety shells (aka zone). When I talk to coaches about this, they believe it’s in large part due to how colleges do not play zone, or the types of zone that NFL teams do, so it can give the defense an edge.”

Amos has done a solid job protecting the top of the Packers’ secondary since signing with the team back in 2019. The former fifth-round pick of AFC North rival, the Chicago Bears, has accounted for 260 tackles, 208 solo, 25 passes deflected, six interceptions, and three sacks. He’s also started and played in every game four Green Bay since arriving. And Amos is still on a team-friendly contract, only making $9 million per season.

Amos impact beyond the box stats

If you look deeper into the analytics, the Packers’ two-high safety look and Amos appears to be a match made in heaven. Pro Football focus gave Amos a grade of 74.7, placing him No.13 at the position.

“The Packers clearly think the scheme offers them an advantage, as they used two-safety shells on 67.4 percent of snaps last season (third-highest rate). Amos, a sure-tackler who earned PFF’s 13th-best overall grade at the position (74.7), is fundamental to making that strategy work. Computer vision shows that in those zone looks, his passer rating allowed decreases by more than 15 points.

Amos is entering the final year of his four-year $37 million contract with the Packers. The 29-year-old safety has been consistent and reliable for Green Bay. If the Packers want to make sure the defensive side of the ball is solidified for the future, they might want to keep Amos around a little longer. The only question is, with him putting up big-time stats, is the Packers safety going to want a big-time contract next offseason.