The Green Bay Packers are in a much different (and most would say, better) spot in regards of their roster than they were last season. Or rather, everyone (including the front office and coaches) is more confident in their roster after they finished 9-8 and upset the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Playoffs. At this time last season, there was nowhere near this level of optimism and excitement surrounding the team.
Of course, that is because there were so many questions surrounding the young Packers that either had been added to the team or had been thrust into a bigger role on the team. The most important of these changes was Jordan Love taking over as the starting quarterback after four-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets.
While moving on from Rodgers to Love was the most noteworthy change on Green Bay’s roster going from 2022 to 2023, it was not the only move of its kind.
The Green Bay Packers Went Through a Massive Youth Movement After the 2022 NFL Season
In addition to the quarterback position, the Packers also got much younger at other offensive positions. Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb were allowed to leave in free agency and replaced with 2023 NFL Draft picks Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Last year’s rookie wide receivers joined second-year players Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Bo Melton in the position group.
Green Bay also allowed their two veteran tight ends, Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan, to depart in free agency as well. They were replaced by 2023 NFL Draft picks Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft.
Interestingly, both Allen and Cobb signed with the same team. They followed Rodgers to the Jets (Lazard was signed by New York before the trade, but it was the worst-kept secret in the NFL that the Jets were where the future Hall of Famer was head). Additionally, both Tonyan and Lewis signed with the same team: the Chicago Bears.
Despite the questions surrounding the roster and the decision to move on from so many veterans, the rookies that replaced these popular veterans on the Packers’ roster actually out-performed their predecessors:
| Position | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | ||
| Players | Jayden Reed & Dontayvion Wicks | Allen Lazard & Randall Cobb | Luke Musgrave & Tucker Kraft | Robert Tonyan & Marcedes Lewis |
| Receptions | 123 | 28 | 65 | 15 |
| Yards | 1,374 | 350 | 707 | 141 |
| Touchdowns | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Obviously, the Packers made the right decisions on these players, even if they were not the most popular ones at the time. Many fans wanted to see Lewis back, especially, because of his prowess as a blocker. However, it is hard to argue with the decisions to move from all four of these players now that the Packers have proven how good they are.
Former Green Bay Packers Starter Marcedes Lewis Is Planning to Re-Sign with the Chicago Bears
Last offseason, Lewis signed with the Bears in an effort to keep his career going. Last season was his 18th NFL season, which set a league record for the tight end position.
And it sounds like he is not stopping at 18:
As seen above, Lewis is planning to re-sign with the Bears to be an extra security blanket for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
For Packers fans, it is never fun watching former players sign to play with NFC North rivals, but one really has to admire Lewis’ ability to keep playing after so long.
