The Green Bay Packers have been one of the more reliable teams in the NFC over the past seven years, making the playoffs in six of them. That consistency doesn’t mean much right now.
Their division got a lot tougher. Chicago woke up. The Bears won the NFC North last year and they look ready to stay good. Detroit imploded in the second half of 2025 but Dan Campbell isn’t going to let that slide two years in a row. And if Kevin O’Connell and Kyler Murray click, the Vikings could be a problem too.
Matt LaFleur has real concerns going into training camp. The biggest one is Micah Parsons. He tore his ACL late last season and it’s looking like he won’t be back until late October or early November. The Packers have to survive the first two months without him. The good news? That’s the softer part of their schedule. If they can get through it with a winning record, they’re a real playoff threat and maybe even division champs.
Quarterback: Love is legit. The backup situation is not.
Jordan Love is a top-10 quarterback now. That’s not hype. He just finished his best season as a starter and he’s entering his age-27 year with no signs of slowing down. Love completed 291 of 439 passes for 3,381 yards and a 23-6 touchdown to interception ratio. The guy simply doesn’t throw picks. He’s got a strong arm, quick release and he reads defenses like someone who’s been starting for a decade.
He’s not Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers. That’s fine. He can still be elite in his own way.
The problem is what happens if he goes down. Malik Willis left for Miami. Green Bay signed Tyrod Taylor as the backup. That’s a downgrade. Taylor has experience but he’s not the guy you want running this offense for multiple weeks.
Grade: 8.5
Running backs: Jacobs carries the load and the questions
Josh Jacobs is a beast when healthy. Last year he dealt with a knee injury in the second half and still finished with 929 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s a weapon in short-yardage situations and he takes pressure off Love.
But there’s a cloud here. Jacobs was arrested in Wisconsin this offseason on domestic violence charges. He’s denied everything and the DA hasn’t filed formal charges yet, but the investigation is still open. That’s not ideal for a player the team needs to be fully focused.
Chris Brooks is solid on third downs.
Grade: 7
Receivers: The deepest group on the roster
Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden. That’s a scary trio. Watson bounced back strong from a torn ACL last year and he’s the biggest of the three at 6-4, 210 pounds. He needs to make the contested catches when coverage tightens up. Reed and Golden? Pure speed.
Tucker Kraft is the wildcard at tight end. He was having an All-Pro season before tearing his ACL in Week 9. If he comes back at full strength, this passing game could be one of the best in the league.
Grade: 8.5
Offensive line: This group was a problem last year
The offensive line underperformed badly in 2025 and it needs to be better. Left tackle Jordan Morgan is just okay. Right tackle Zach Tom hasn’t stood out either. The interior has Aaron Banks at left guard, Anthony Belton at right guard and Sean Rhyan at center. Banks was supposed to be the anchor after coming over from San Francisco as a free agent but he was a letdown.
Grade: 5.5
Defensive line: Needs to hold until Parsons returns
Devote Wyatt had a monster year with 14.5 sacks before he hurt his ankle. Javon Hargrave is a two-time Pro Bowler who played well for Minnesota in 2025. Rookie Chris McClellan could step into a starting role at defensive tackle.
This group has to dominate early in the season. There’s no other way to survive without Parsons.
Grade: 7.5
Linebackers: Parsons is the star. The rest is a question.
Parsons was one of the top three defensive players in football through 13 games. He had 12.5 sacks and 60 QB pressures. The Packers hope he returns close to that level.
Edgerin Cooper is an athletic linebacker who racked up 117 tackles last season. Zaire Franklin comes over from Indianapolis to replace Quay Walker who signed with the Raiders. Lukas Van Ness looks the part but hasn’t played it through three seasons.
Grade: 7
Secondary: Safeties are elite. Corners are shaky.
Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney might be the best safety duo in the league. No complaints there.
Cornerback is a different story. Keisean Nixon had a career-high 17 pass deflections but he gives up too many big plays. Second-round pick Brandon Cisse has the athleticism to start but his ball skills at South Carolina were inconsistent.
Grade: 6.5
Special teams: New kicker, same punter
Brandon McManus is gone after hitting just 80 percent of his field goals last year. The Packers drafted Trey Smack from Florida in the sixth round. He has a massive leg. Punter Daniel Whelan led the league with a 51.7-yard gross average. The return game should improve with Skyy Moore, who has real speed and instincts.
Grade: 7
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