Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Jordan Love are hoping for big things in … More 2025.<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.<\/p>\n
Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.<\/p>\n
The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst cranked up the heat <\/a>on everybody in the building.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,\u201d Gutekunst said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a bunch of good guys in that locker room, we\u2019ve got a bunch of talented guys in that locker room, and I think it\u2019s time we started competing for championships.\u201d<\/p>\n Those are fair expectations.<\/p>\n Quarterback Jordan Love is entering the prime of his career and his third season as the Packers\u2019 starter. The receiver position was addressed in the draft, while the running game was one of the NFL\u2019s best in 2024.<\/p>\n Defensively, the Packers made strides throughout the year under first-year coordinator Jeff Hafley. Green Bay finished sixth in scoring defense (19.9), sixth in total defense and seventh against the run.<\/p>\n The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they\u2019re ready,\u201d Gutekunst said.<\/p>\n Now, it\u2019s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.<\/p>\n COACHING<\/p>\n Matt LaFleur had arguably his worst coaching season in Green Bay<\/a> last year, letting emotion get the best of him far too often. The Packers went just 1-5 in the NFC North \u2014 their worst divisional mark since 2005 \u2014 and were 0-6 against NFC powers Philadelphia, Detroit and Minnesota.<\/p>\n LaFleur must quit fighting with fans and officials and focus on his own team. There have been 35 head coaches that won a Super Bowl, but only four of those won the big game after their seventh season<\/a> with that organization. Coincidentally, this is LaFleur\u2019s seventh season in Green Bay.<\/p>\n Rating: 7.0<\/p>\n QUARTERBACKS<\/p>\n Jordan Love had a solid, but far from spectacular 2024 campaign.<\/p>\n Love threw 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and had a 96.7 passer rating, while missing 2 \u00bd games due to injury. Love ranked 19th in passing yards (3,389) and completed 63.1% of his passes.<\/p>\n Love had a passer rating of at least 107.7 in five straight games between Weeks 11-15, but was at 92.0, or less, the last four contests.<\/p>\n Love then threw three interceptions in Green Bay\u2019s loss to Philadelphia in the NFC Wild Card game and had a season-low passer rating of 41.5.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he is an ascending player that is going to get better and better and better,\u201d Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Love.<\/p>\n No. 2 Malik Willis helped save the Packers\u2019 season in 2024 when Love was hurt. Willis \u2014 who was acquired from Tennessee in late August<\/a> \u2014 went 2-0 as a starter, and rallied Green Bay to a win over Jacksonville when he relieved Love.<\/p>\n Willis finished with a 124.8 passer rating, threw three touchdowns without an interception and had more rushing yards than Love.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was a welcome addition,\u201d Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Willis. \u201cReally appreciative of \u2026 just how prepared he was.\u201d<\/p>\n Rating: 8.5<\/p>\n RUNNING BACKS<\/p>\n Green Bay has a solid stable of backs, led by Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs. <\/a><\/p>\n Jacobs finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards last season (1,329), averaged 4.4 yards per carry and had 16 total touchdowns (15 rushing). The Packers also finished fifth in the league in rushing yards per game (146.8).<\/p>\n Green Bay ran the ball on 52.3% of its plays last season \u2014 the first time the Packers ran the ball more than they threw it since 2003. After beefing up the offensive line, Green Bay could run the ball even more in 2025, meaning depth will be critical.<\/p>\n Emanuel Wilson (502 yards, 4.9 per carry) had a solid season as the Packers\u2019 No. 2 back. Chris Brooks (183, 5.1) also played well after signing with Green Bay on Sept. 3.<\/p>\n The wild card is second-year man Marshawn Lloyd, a third round draft pick in 2024. Lloyd played in just one game last season after spending most of the year on injured reserve with an ankle injury and an appendicitis.<\/p>\n Rating: 8.0<\/p>\n RECEIVERS<\/p>\n Green Bay\u2019s wideouts failed to make the jump in 2024 that many believed they would. The Packers then lost Christian Watson \u2014 their top deep threat \u2014 to a torn ACL in Week 18, an injury that\u2019s likely to sideline him most of 2025.<\/p>\n So the Packers drafted speedy Matthew Golden in Round 1<\/a> and versatile Savion Williams in the third round<\/a>. Both could help immediately.<\/p>\n Of the returnees, Jayden Reed has the brightest future. He led the Packers in receptions (55) for a second straight season, had a team-high 857 receiving yards and finished second with six TD receptions.<\/p>\n Romeo Doubs was third on the team with 46 catches last year, third in receiving yards (601) and fourth in touchdowns. But Doubs also missed two games with concussions and another after he was suspended for going AWOL from the team.<\/p>\n Third-year man Dontayvion Wicks was a colossal disappointment in 2024. Wicks led the Packers in targets (76), but was just fourth in receptions (39) and fourth in receiving yards (415). His catch rate of 51.3% was the second worst in football among wideouts.<\/p>\n According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers had the third-highest number of drops in football last season (33) and the second-highest drop rate (6.9%).<\/p>\n Tight end Tucker Kraft was a Pro Bowl alternate after finishing second on the team in receptions (50) and receiving yards (707). Kraft also led the Packers with seven receiving TDs.<\/p>\n Luke Musgrave had his second straight injury-riddled season.<\/p>\n Rating: 7.0OFFENSIVE LINE<\/p>\n Green Bay has seven starting caliber offensive linemen in Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Rasheed Walker, Jordan Morgan and rookie Anthony Belton.<\/p>\n Tom and Rhyan make a formidable duo on the right side of the line and Jenkins will move to center after spending most of his career at left guard. Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million deal in free agency<\/a>, slides in at left guard while Walker and Morgan<\/a> are expected to battle for the left tackle job in training camp.<\/p>\n Belton, a second round draft pick in April<\/a>, can play both tackle and guard.<\/p>\n Rating: 8.5<\/p>\n DEFENSIVE LINE<\/p>\n Defensive end Rashan Gary was named to his first career Pro Bowl after posting 7.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Far too often, though, Gary doesn\u2019t finish the deal, which is why he has just 39.0 sacks in 90 career games.<\/p>\n Lukas Van Ness, the Packers\u2019 first round pick in 2023, had just three sacks, six quarterback hits and six tackles for loss last year. He now faces a critical Year 3.<\/a><\/p>\n Kenny Clark\u2019s tremendous career could be nearing the end after he posted just one sack and 37 total tackles last year. Devonte Wyatt set career highs in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (9.0) in 2024, but he remains an inconsistent player.<\/p>\n Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden and Kingsley Enagbare provide depth up front.<\/p>\n Rating: 6.5<\/p>\n LINEBACKERS<\/p>\n Edgerrin Cooper is a rising star <\/a>who figures to be a staple of the defense for years to come. Cooper was the only player in the NFL last season with 75-plus tackles, 13-plus tackles for loss, three-plus sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.<\/p>\n Quay Walker joined Nick Barnett as the only Packers with at least 100 tackles in each of their first three seasons. Isaiah McDuffie is a tough, hardnosed respected leader.<\/p>\n Rating: 7.0<\/p>\n SECONDARY<\/p>\n The Packers overhauled their safety room in 2024 and the improvement was dramatic. <\/p>\n Pro Bowler Xavier McKinney finished second in the NFL with eight interceptions. That was the most by a Packer since Charles Woodson had nine INTs in 2009.<\/p>\n Evan Williams, a fourth round draft pick in 2024, could be a future standout. And while 2024 second round pick Javon Bullard struggled at times, he showed the ability to play deep or in the slot.<\/p>\n Cornerbacks Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine certainly played better than most would have guessed in 2024. And the Packers believe they have a versatile, rising player in free agent Nate Hobbs.<\/a><\/p>\n Rating: 7.0<\/p>\n SPECIAL TEAMS<\/p>\n