If you really give it a good think, other than the acquisition of Micah Parsons, the Green Bay Packers 2025 offseason went pretty poorly. Free agency money was badly misused, draft picks failed to make an immediate impact, and multiple players were played out of position or largely set up to fail. While the Packers were still a competitive team up until injuries killed them dead, they lost a lot of value on the fringes.<\/p>\n
An offseason that poor will rarely lead to any real success. That\u2019s the hard truth. Obviously, the games are won and lost during the season, but teams have to win in the offseason too. Let\u2019s look at the two Super Bowl teams for example.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seattle brought in Sam Darnold, Demarcus Lawrence, Cooper Kupp, Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori, and Rasheed Shaheed within the last calendar year. That group of players is a huge reason why they are where they are right now. Seattle doesn\u2019t win the NFC if they don\u2019t win the offseason first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Next, let\u2019s look at the Patriots.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New England brought in Milton Williams, Stefon Diggs, Morgan Moses, Robert Spillane, Carlton Davis, K\u2019Laivon Chaisson, Mack Hollins, Will Campbell, Treveyon Henderson, and Kyle Williams within the last calendar year. Once again it\u2019s clear that the Patriot\u2019s offseason success set them up for what they\u2019ve done this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Subtract Micah Parsons, and this is the list of new additions that made any sort of real contribution for Green Bay in 2025:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aaron Banks\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nate Hobbs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew Golden\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anthony Belton\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yikes\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even the loyalest of homers couldn\u2019t talk themselves into this list! While I do believe Golden has a very bright future, and I have hope for Belton as well, the Green Bay Packers front office simply has to be better this offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With limited draft capital and cap space in 2026, it\u2019s imperative that the team focus their assets where they actually have need.<\/p>\n
Here are positions the Green Bay Packers need help at the worst. I\u2019ve ranked them in my order of most pressing to least pressing need.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kicker<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve seen kids on College Gameday that I\u2019d rather have kicking for the Green Bay Packers. Obviously, I am mostly joking but come on, can we please figure something out here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
FYI, the Packers could save 2 million in cap space and just under 4 million in 2026 cash if they cut \u201che who shall not be named.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Defensive Tackle\u00a0<\/p>\n
People seem to have forgotten that the starters at DT in 2024 were TJ Slaton and Kenny Clark. Tack on the fact that Devonte Wyatt missed half of this past season with injury, and now you\u2019re realizing that the Packers went into the playoffs starting their no. 4 and no. 5 DT\u2019s from 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Devonte Wyatt will be back healthy to start the season, but he needs more help around him. I see a particular need for a nose tackle who can play the 0, 1 and 2i techniques. This will be especially important as the Packers move away from a primarily cover 3 structure that allowed safeties like Evan Williams and Javon Bullard to play the run from depth, even when in base defense. Gannon\u2019s new quarters structures will pull those safeties out of the box, and place more of the run defending responsibilities on the defensive front.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is the biggest need on the team, and I\u2019d love to see them address it in free agency and the draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cornerback\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Green Bay Packers will enter the season with Carrington Valentine, Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs under contract. Kamal Hadden and Bo Melton are exclusive rights free agents that will both likely be brought back as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nothing about that corner room is particularly inspiring. Especially when you consider that Nate Hobbs could be a cap casualty just one year after signing, and that \u201cpro bowler\u201d Keisean Nixon will likely ask for a new extension this offseason. If Nixon does ask for that extension, I would not be surprised to see the Packers quickly decline his request and look to trade him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Honestly, I\u2019d be cool taking a 5th-6th round pick in return and moving on without regrets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, even if Nixon and Hobbs do return, this room needs a lot of work. Look for the Packers to finally prioritize this position in the draft. I\u2019d look out for bigger corners who have a little more experience with man coverage. New DC Jonathan Gannon runs a match coverage scheme that melds zone drop coverages into man coverage depending on the play. This means you need corners who can do both.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This could mean improved opportunities for Carrington Valentine who has always looked better in man coverage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Expect this room to also get a full makeover.<\/p>\n
Offensive Line\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the talent on the offensive line could use some work, I also think there\u2019s a real chance that the guys they already have just play better in 2026. Here\u2019s why:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jordan Morgan spent the whole summer training to play guard, and then ended up playing right tackle when they needed him most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anthony Belton spent the whole summer training to play left tackle, and then ended up playing right guard when they needed him most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sean Rhyan spent the whole summer training to play guard, and then ended up playing center when they needed him most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elgton Jenkins was legitimately bad at center. I can\u2019t even fault the Packers really for putting him there. I thought it was a good idea at the time, but man it did not work out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was Zach Tom really ever healthy??\u00a0<\/p>\n
And last but not least, Aaron Banks turned in possibly the worst season of his career.<\/p>\n
Especially if the Green Bay Packers are able to find an upgrade at the OL Coach spot, I\u2019d feel increasingly confident that a lot of these guys just improve in 2026. Yes, Walker, Jenkins and potentially even Rhyan will be gone this next season. But the Packers always plan ahead. They have younger players ready to go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I would never be surprised to see the Packers draft an offensive lineman, especially in the mid rounds. I also wouldn\u2019t be surprised to see them add a free agent who can compete for a starting spot.<\/p>\n
Long story short, I don\u2019t feel the lineman currently on the roster are really as bad as they looked. I don\u2019t see any possible way the Packers can mismanage the roster any worse than they did last year. Hoping for some regression to the mean in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Linebacker\u00a0<\/p>\n
I am assuming that Quay Walker leaves in free agency as I list this position here. If that is the case, then there\u2019s really only one linebacker that I feel good about on this roster.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ty\u2019ron Hopper is heading into year 3 as a former 3rd round pick. He has looked good in limited roles, but I thought he was really disappointing in the week 18 game in Minnesota. That was the first time he really got a shot to start and play a full game as the mike linebacker and his performance was quite underwhelming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I would also keep an eye on Isaiah McDuffie and what new DC Jonathan Gannon decides to do with him. I thought defensive guru Cody Alexander made some really great points about McDuffie during his guest appearance this week on the Pack a Day Podcast.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alexander noted that Gannon\u2019s defenses like to play a lot of \u201cpenny\u201d looks. These formations basically present as a 5-1 front with only one true linebacker on the field. This puts that 1 linebacker on an island and leaves him vulnerable to all sorts of routes over the middle of the field. McDuffie is the last guy I want being frequently put in that scenario, he just doesn\u2019t have the athleticism for it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It also should be noted that the Packers could save just under 4 million in cap space by moving on from McDuffie.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Green Bay Packers likely losing a linebacker or two combined with the general unknown that is Ty\u2019ron Hopper, means that the position needs to be addressed in some way this offseason. Our new linebackers coach will have his hands full.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Edge Defender\u00a0<\/p>\n
I do expect Micah Parsons to be back by week 1. As a physical therapist, seeing how fast Micah was able to do a full straight leg raise with minimal lag absolutely blew my mind. But Micah will likely be on a snap count for the first month or so of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This means we\u2019ll see a lot of LVN, Sorrel, and Collin Oliver early and throughout the rest of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The team could use another player they trust, especially on early downs to help weather the storm until Micah can be back to full strength. You can never have too many pass rushers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quarterback\u00a0<\/p>\n
Malik Willis will be on his way out of town this summer, and the Packers will need to do all they can to replace him. It can\u2019t be understated how important Willis has been to the Packers since his arrival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I really feel that the Green Bay Packers wouldn\u2019t have made the playoffs in 2024 if it wasn\u2019t for Malik Willis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For that reason, I\u2019d love to see the team properly invest in the position this offseason. A veteran free agent like Jameis Winston could be an awesome addition as a backup quarterback.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Running Back\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even a true, blue, through and through Marshawn Lloyd fan like myself realizes the Packers may need to invest in the backup running back position this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, don\u2019t forget that the Packers were able to add Damien Martinez on a futures contract last month. Martinez was a draft pick of the Seahawks last spring, but he got cut in the middle of the season. Martinez was one of my favorite late round backs in last year\u2019s draft, and he might negate the need for the Green Bay Packers to spend a draft pick on a running back this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tight End\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tucker Kraft is a blue chip player, but he\u2019s also coming off a major injury. Behind him, Luke Musgrave only has one year left on his deal and John Fitzpatrick just tore his achilles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Packers could use depth for this season. It is possible that they also want to plan ahead and find a new backup tight end before Musgrave leaves next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wide Receiver\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s almost a foregone conclusion that Romeo Doubs will leave this offseason. So long and best wishes to you Romeo, I\u2019ve really enjoyed watching you play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This will leave the Packers with a WR room of Watson, Golden, Reed, Wicks and Williams. Reed, Wicks and Watson are all going into contract years. This means the exodus of WR talent may only continue in future years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d expect the Packers to wait until 2027, but wouldn\u2019t be surprised if they drafted a WR this offseason to plan ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Safety\u00a0<\/p>\n
The quartet of McKinney, Williams, Bullard and Oladapo continues to lock down that position. All of them came in together in 2024 and their contracts all run the exact same length.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On a side note. As Green Bay Packers fans, please enjoy every moment of Evan Williams and Javon Bullard on the field together. It\u2019s a real treat to have two safeties who fit on this defense so seamlessly, and feed off each other. Two of my favorite players on the team right now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Punter\u00a0<\/p>\n
All hail our boy Danny Whelan! I implore you all to never take any sort of good special teams play for granted!\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you really give it a good think, other than the acquisition of Micah Parsons, the Green Bay…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":719881,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2072],"tags":[53208,7,41,345,2514,2513,6,428,6926],"class_list":["post-719880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-green-bay-packers","tag-drew-sayer","tag-football","tag-green-bay","tag-green-bay-packers","tag-greenbay","tag-greenbaypackers","tag-nfl","tag-packers","tag-packers-2025-2026-season"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115991642596971763","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/719880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=719880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/719880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/719881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=719880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=719880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=719880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}