The Green Bay Packers had a good showing for the 2025-26 season and rounded out the year at No. 2 in the NFC North with a 9-7 record. Still, it wasn’t good enough to get them past the finish line, and they ended the season well behind rivals the Chicago Bears.

But, the team’s season was plagued with injuries, and if they had just been healthy, the end could have been a different story.

Now, the Packers are getting some encouragement going into the 2026-27 season, and people in the NFL are saying that if the team can stay injury-free, they could be real contenders.

Before the 2026-27 season, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Kris Knox, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have ranked the NFL teams.

Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after the Packers beat the Detroit Lions 27-13 at Lambeau Field on September 07, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

For the Green Bay Packers, they have Love and the team at No. 11. That may not seem great, but they do have some good things to say about the team.

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“The Green Bay Packers seemed destined for a run to Super Bowl LX until they weren’t. Injuries derailed a season, with Micah Parsons going down because of a torn ACL and Jordan Love missing games due to a concussion,” Sobleski notes in the Tuesday, Feb. 11 piece. “In the end, the Packers were simply outplayed by the Chicago Bears, but the distance between the archrivals is miniscule.”

He adds, and this is the good part, that “Green Bay has every opportunity in 2026 to be a legitimate contender.”

“Decisions will be forthcoming regarding the free-agent status of linebacker Quay Walker and wide receiver Romeo Doubs,” Sobleski continues. “Otherwise, the team’s core of talent will remain intact. Jeff Hafley’s departure to become Miami Dolphins head coach will be one potential stumbling block.”

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Of Hafley’s leaving, Sobleski says that the coach “galvanized the Packers’ defense upon taking over play-calling duties in 2024. However, the team has brought in Jonathan Gannon to take over that side of the ball. He experienced plenty of success leading the Philadelphia Eagles defense before becoming Arizona Cardinals head coach in 2023.”

So, as the new season approaches, there are some positives and negatives for the Packers. But, in general, things are looking up.