Jayrone Elliott enters his third season with the chance to make a major impact on the Green Bay Packers defense. The former Toledo star made the roster as a rookie long-shot after going undrafted. He had another great preseason last year to solidify his spot on the roster. He will have a chance to work into the pass rushing rotation with Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, and Nick Perry.

See my list of breakout players for next season: https://packerstalk.com/2016/05/10/green-bay-packers-2016-breakout-candidates/

Elliott made huge strides in each of his first two seasons. Last season, Elliott had a terrific game against the Seahawks and showed flashes throughout the season, but was inconsistent overall. However, I believe his pass rush ability will allow Peppers and Clay to play in more versatile roles on 3rd down, and Elliott will get the opportunity to make impact plays. Jayrone has shown great instinct and work ethic, and I believe he will continue to develop his pass rush moves to take advantage of his physical abilities.

My prediction is that Elliott will get between 10-12 sacks, and make 3-4 impact plays (forced fumbles and interceptions). I get a little leeway because it’s so much easier for players to make Pro Bowls in an era where the league sometimes has to take their 3rd or 4th option. However, I feel Jayrone Elliott is going to help the Packers defense in transitioning from a good unit into a great one. 

Andrew Mertig is a a lifelong Packers fan and draft enthusiast. He has covered the NFL draft for radio and television stations in Green Bay. He is currently a host of the Pack-A-Day podcast and a writer for PackersTalk.com. You can follow him on Twitter @andrewmertig