Jet engines: Packers' choices to revive fly motion and sweeps on offense

The Packers seemed poise to revive the heavier use of fly motion and jet sweeps from the early years under Matt LaFleur, but who will serve in those roles?

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For a time, jet motion and sweeps served as staples of the Green Bay Packers offense under head coach Matt LaFleur. In his first two seasons at the helm, the unit used them extensively, perhaps the most visual departure from the offense run by predecessor Mike McCarthy. Due in part to these tactics, quarterback Aaron Rodgers reclaimed his MVP form during his second year in the new system, winning the award for the first time in over half a decade.

Jet motion, also called "fly" motion by the Packers' coaching staff, serves multiple purposes. The player in motion pulls defenders horizontally and out of the box. In doing so, the offense can gain a numbers advantage in the run game while manufacturing easy completions over the middle. Additionally, the quarterback can deliver the ball directly to the jet-motion player on sweeps or via push passes to take advantage when the defense chooses to ignore the threat.

Though fly motion and sweeps served as a key piece to the Packers' success early in LaFleur's tenure, they have largely dissipated over the past two seasons. Rodgers, famously a proponent of more static pre-snap looks, sought compromise from LaFleur and received it in 2021. Though that didn't stop Rodgers from repeating as league MVP that year, opponents caught up to Green Bay the following season. Without as many horizontal stretches, receivers struggled to separate from defenders in 2022.

Understandably, the Packers hope to change that moving forward. With Rodgers now a member of the New York Jets and Jordan Love now starting in Green Bay, LaFleur and his coaching staff will recalibrate the offense to fit its current personnel and needs. That means, among other things, the triumphant return of jet motion and sweeps as offensive staples.

But while the desire to revive those elements seems clear, the identity of the players who will serve in those roles does not. The Packers have multiple viable options from which to choose, and each offers a unique set of pros and cons.