The Green Bay Packers nailed their 2023 draft class, and two of those players in Luke Musgrave and Karl Brooks are expected to have big seasons in 2024.
Gordon McGuinness with Pro Football Focus laid out their 2024 All-Breakout Team. The list included some exciting players like wide receiver Khalil Shakir and pass rusher Boye Mafe.
Brooks and Musgrave also made the All-Breakout Team. McGuinness was particularly high on Brooks, regardless of the role he might play next season.
“If there is a question about Brooks’ play heading into his second NFL season, it’s whether he can be a full-time player or if he is simply more of a pass-rushing specialist,” McGuinness wrote. “However, with how good he was in that role as a rookie, that may not matter.”
With big years from both second-year players, the Packers could be in line for a legit Super Bowl run this season.
Luke Musgrave’s Untapped Potential
Injuries have kept Musgrave from reaching his full potential. However, the flashes Packers fans have seen show a tight end that can be a matchup nightmare.
Musgrave missed the majority of his final year at Oregon State with a knee injury. The good news was that it didn’t force him to miss the start of his rookie year. He was the starting tight end to begin the year, but a lacerated kidney forced him to miss multiple weeks.
The numbers ended up being modest for Musgrave in his first NFL season. He played in 11 games, catching 34 passes for 352 yards and a single touchdown. He added another score in the team’s NFC Wild Card game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Pro Football Focus is expecting a big year for Musgrave. However, he still has a starting job to secure. Fellow 2023 draft pick Tucker Kraft showed signs of being a starting-caliber tight end as well last season. Along with being a reliable blocker, Kraft was difficult for defenders to bring down after the catch.
Both tight ends will carve out roles of their own in 2024. However, the upside for Musgrave could make him a dangerous downfield receiving threat in his second year.
Karl Brooks Is Already a Pass-Rushing Asset
The Packers took a pass rusher in the first round of 2023 by selecting Lukas Van Ness. However, it was a sixth-round pick in Brooks that turned almost as many heads last season.
Brooks was a MAC star at Bowling Green with 27.5 career sacks in college. However, with a unique frame at 6’3″ and 303 pounds, it was unclear what position he could play at the NFL level.
That didn’t seem to matter for Brooks as a rookie. He finished the year with four sacks, a forced fumble, and four pass breakups. Pro Football Focus credited him with 30 pressures as well.
Things could go even better for Brooks in his second NFL season. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is bringing a new scheme to Green Bay, including a base 4-3 defense. This will call for bigger bodies up front, which is a huge win for Brooks to see more playing time.
With a new scheme and a year under his belt, Brooks could really take off in 2024.
