The Green Bay Packers were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises last season. At this point in the offseason a year ago, questions abounded whether or not the Packers would find any semblance of success with Jordan Love as their starting quarterback. This was, of course, due to the fact that they had traded four-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets before the 2023 NFL Draft.
That being said, Love was not the only big question mark on the offensive side of the ball last season. Instead of bringing back veteran wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, Green Bay allowed them to leave in free agency (both signed with the Jets). They also allowed tight ends Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis to leave at the end of the season (both signed with the Chicago Bears).
The Green Bay Packers Replaced Veterans with Rookies
As mentioned previously, former Packers wide receivers Lazard and Cobb were allowed to leave in free agency. Veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who was signed during the 2022 preseason, was released before the season even ended.
Instead of search for more experienced pass catchers, the Packers decided to completely rehaul their pass catching room with young talent. Wide receivers Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure, and Bo Melton remained, but the Packers went out and drafted new tight ends and more receivers.
Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Grant DuBose were added in the 2023 NFL Draft, as were tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft (Ben Sims was signed after the Minnesota Vikings cut him).
All Love did with this young group of pass catchers was put together the best first season for a starting quarterback in franchise history:
| Quarterback | Completion % | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Passer Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Love | 64.2% | 4,159 | 32 | 11 | 96.1 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 63.6% | 4,038 | 28 | 13 | 93.8 |
| Brett Favre | 64.1% | 3,227 | 18 | 13 | 85.3 |
Reed set the franchise’s record for receptions by a rookie. Musgrave set the franchise record for receptions by a rookie tight end despite missing six games with a lacerated kidney.
Their first season together might have gotten off to an inconsistent start, but they were able to improve and mature together as the season went on, finishing 7-3 in their final 10 games.
The Packers’ strong finish to the regular season, as well as their upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round, have many people thinking that they could be one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2024. The big question, though, is whether or not the second half was a fluke and/or if some players could regress.
With cautious optimism, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report has ranked the Packers’ offense as the 10th best in the NFL in his initial preseason rankings.
He writes:
“There aren’t many outright flaws with this offense. Finding the right combination of five linemen will be important. They drafted Jordan Morgan in the first round, but it’s unclear whether he will remain at left tackle or kick inside. He has subpar length for the position but might be able to overcome it with his athleticism.
“The biggest thing for the Packers will be consistency. If they can play the majority of the season like they did over the back half, they’ll surpass some of the teams ranked ahead of them.”
If Green Bay’s offense does play on as high of a level as they did in the second half of last season, and if the defense can improve even marginally under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, the Packers could be in for a special season.
