The Green Bay Packers finished the 2023 season with a 9-8 record and made the playoffs for the 4th time in 5 years. It was a very unexpected playoff appearance especially after they started the year off with a 2-5 record. The Packers were expected to have a rebuilding year and were expected to have a down year and 2024 was supposed to be a year where they dip their toes in the playoffs and really make a championship push in 2025. But after a 23-19 loss in week 10 to the Steelers which set them back to 3-6 – the Packers finished the year on a 6-2 run which included wins over the Lions, Chiefs – and their favorite opponent – the Bears in week 18 to secure the number 7 seed. They would go on to dismantle the Cowboys in the wild card round with a score of 48-32 – and even a 16 point win looks watered down compared to how that game was actually played – before losing to the 49ers in the divisional round with a score of 24-21. A divisional round loss for most teams is a pretty good year – but when you consider where the Packers were at times throughout the 2023 season – and when you factor in Jordan Love threw 18 touchdowns to just 1 interception down the stretch of the 2023 season – along with the fact their offense is incredibly young – well the Green Bay Packers are dangerous entering this year. But how far can they actually go? Well we’re going to break everything down in today’s video. Now let’s begin
And we are starting today’s video by breaking down who the Packers lost in free agency and who they acquired. One of their biggest losses in free agency was safety Darnell Savage who is probably most known for the playoff pick 6 he had against the Cowboys which spread the game wide open as the Packers increased their lead from 20 to 0 – to 27 to 0. But aside from that play – Darnell was hit or miss as a player and there were games – like the Dallas game – where he would play well – and there were other games where he would miss multiple tackles, have lapses in coverage, and at times – be a liability. And there was a reason Green Bay was ok with letting him walk. And they more than replaced Darnell by bringing in veteran Xavier McKinney. McKinney – when healthy – is a phenomenal player and in 2023 he had 110 tackles, 11 pass deflections, and even had 3 interceptions. And contrary to how the draft process has been for the past few years – due to COVID having an impact on guys eligibility – meaning they could stay in college for another year – which in turn would affect the age of a draft prospect – causing some guys to be 24 going on 25 as a rookie – well – Xavier will play this season at just 25 years old. And with how young the Packers roster is – specifically on offense – I am all for making a big push like this in free agency – while you can. And not only that – but Xavier signed a 4 year $67 million dollar contract – and only $23 of it is guaranteed. SO if for whatever reason – Xavier is a free agent bust – which I don’t think he will be by the way – the Packers are protected in the long run. Now former Packers running back Aaron Jones signed with the Vikings this offseason and Aaron missed 6 games last year – so they had some time to adjust to getting used to life without him already. Not only that – but Aaron will turn 30 in December so the likelihood he was ever going to sign another contract – or even stay in Green Bay for 3 or 4 more years – was minimal. And the Packers signing Josh Jacobs to the contract they did – was one of my favorite moves they made this offseason because of the terms within the contract. Josh Jacobs signed a 4 year $48 million dollar contract and is 26 years old and was drafted back in 2019. And I know you may be thinking – well there’s a strong possibility that things could go sideways if Jacobs ages poorly – specifically in years 3 and 4 of the deal. But Jacobs was only guaranteed $12.5 million and if they can get a 11 or 1,200 yard year from him in 2024 – then the contract alone is worth it. I personally doubt Jacobs plays out the length of this contract – but when you only have the first year and some change guaranteed – go for it. Now the whole running backs being in their physical prime during the length of their rookie contract sucks for them – and that’s an entirely different discussion – but there’s not a lot that can be done about that at this particular point in time. But for the sake of the Packers and the outlook for them long term – I loved the additions of both Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs. They lost guard Jon Runyan in free agency to the Giants and while Runyan wasn’t an elite player by any means – he did start 50 games for them over the past few years and the continuity along the offensive line is never easy to replace. He will be replaced by 2022 3rd round pick Sean Rhyan at the right guard position – and we’ll see how that works out. This is a slight concern I have heading into the year with the Packers – is the right guard play – but with how good their offense will be elsewhere – and with how good of an improviser Jordan Love was at times throughout the 2023 season – specifically down the stretch – I think they’ll be just fine and I don’t think a right guard with question marks will entirely derail their season.
Now for the 2024 Packers defense – this is a unit Packers fans should be really excited about. And it’s not just because of bringing in a big name free agent like Xavier McKinney. Packers fans had been fed up with Joe Barry – for – and this is not an exaggeration – years. There is a very real chance that had the Panthers somehow someway beat Green Bay last year – in a game they put up 30 points by the way – the only time they put up 30 points all year – that the Packers finish 8-9 and the Jordan Love we saw against the Cowboys in the playoffs, and then the ensuing week against the 49ers – minus the final drive – be the player Packers are excited about today. And that would have been due in large part to Joe Barry. The Bucs went into Lambeau last year in what was a very pivotal game for the Packers – as they had just fell to 6-7 with a loss against the Giants on monday night – and they lost at home by double digits in a game Baker Mayfield would go on to have a perfect passer rating. Now Green Bay won out and you could say the rest is history as we enter the 2024 season – but I do think the packers defense should improve by default entering the year. I am very excited to see the duo of Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness as we enter 2024 and while Rashan has never been a 14 or 15 sack player – he’s been a very good player from a pressures standpoint and how often he affects passing plays. And you can argue that’s just as impactful. Lukas Van Ness had 18 pressures on 182 pass rushing snaps last year as a rookie which is pretty close to a pressure for every 10 snaps – and obviously if this were to translate to 500 pass rushing snaps – then he would be in line for a 50 pressure season. But I think Lukas will get to the quarterback at an even higher rate this year and when you have a player who I believe is emerging in Lukas – along with a guy who has already emerged in Rashan Gary – well this is quietly a really good pass rushing duo. They also have a really good defensive tackle in Kenny Clark who was recently extended and if Kenny plays at the level he has over the past few years – I would like to think this is a Packers ring of honor player.
And he may be now for that matter as he is a 3 time pro bowler and has been a very very good player for this team since being drafted back in 2016. Another player that I like in Green Bay’s defense is 3rd year player Devonte Wyatt. The Packers 2022 season wasn’t the best for a few reasons. They of course traded Davante Adams prior to the year, and Devonte Wyatt didn’t have a great rookie year – which should have been expected as a late first round pick along the interior defensive line. The main reason we preach it taking guys a few years to develop in the trenches – is because it usually does. Guys like Quentin Nelson on the offensive side of the ball, and Aaron Donald on the defensive side of the ball – are the outliers – and certainly not the standard. But Devonte had a really good second year and had 45 pressures on 305 pass rushing snaps – which is a very good rate for any player. Now the one concern I have with the Packers defense is ultimately their secondary – specifically corner outside of Jaire Alexander. I think Jaire and Xavier McKinney are two great players – but I do have concerns with Eric Stokes, Keisaean Nixon, Corey Ballentine, and Carrignton Valentine – don’t say those two names fast in a row by the way because it’s very easy to get those two confused. The point is – the Packers front 4 is going to have to get home early and often because if Jaire misses any games – which is almost to be expected in a league as physically demanding as the NFL is – well it could prove to be a long day for the Green Bay Packers.
