Packers Spin Wheels in Race for Super Bowl

While many of the NFL's heavyweights improved this offseason, the Green Bay Packers are going nowhere fast in their pursuit of another Super Bowl victory.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Apr 2, 2022 9:13 PM EDT

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams signed six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner. In the craziest offseason in NFL history, it was another case of the rich getting richer.

If the goal is to win the Super Bowl – and at a place called “Titletown,” that should be the goal – the Green Bay Packers have spent the offseason with their fingers clenched to the rooftop of a 32-story building, the rest of their body dangling precariously off the edge.

It’s impossible to overstate the opportunities the Packers wasted the past two years, especially with Aaron Rodgers winning back-to-back MVPs. Now, with some key personnel losses, can they win the game that matters in February before they lose their grip?

In 2020, they had the NFC Championship Game on their home turf, intercepted Tom Brady three times and lost anyway. Wanting to give that powerful team another chance, general manager Brian Gutekunst moved heaven and earth to keep the group together. “Run it back,” they said. Instead, they ran it backward. They had the No. 1 seed again, the incredible good fortune of adding defensive studs De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas, and went one-and-done.

Green Bay is the only team in NFL history with three consecutive 13-win seasons. However, three spectacular regular seasons ended with three spectacular postseason flameouts. This offseason, Gutekunst traded All-Pro receiver Davante Adams and released outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith and right tackle Billy Turner to get far enough under the salary cap to re-sign Campbell and Douglas and add defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

Those were solid signings, but are the Packers better? Of course, you know the answer. They’re not better. This is a team clinging to the edge of that skyscraper, perhaps fighting a losing battle against salary-cap gravity to climb their way back to the top of the building where all the legit championship contenders hang out.

Green Bay’s main rivals in the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams (won the Super Bowl in 2021), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (won the 2020 Super Bowl) and San Francisco 49ers (eliminated the Packers in 2019 and 2021), aren’t appreciably better. But at least they’re not obviously worse, like the Packers are without Adams.

Meanwhile, the AFC’s powers loaded up. Heck, the Packers as currently constructed might finish last in the AFC West.

The Cincinnati Bengals got to the Super Bowl despite their terrible offensive line. They fixed that by adding La’el Collins, Alex Kappa and Ted Karras.

The Kansas City Chiefs, like the Packers did with Adams, traded their best receiver. But at least they replaced Tyreek Hill with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The Buffalo Bills signed future Hall of Fame pass rusher Von Miller, beefed up their defensive line and added former first-round tight end O.J. Howard.

The Los Angeles Chargers signed cornerback J.C. Jackson, acquired outside linebacker Khalil Mack and inked a couple defensive linemen.

The Las Vegas Raiders traded for Adams and signed outside linebacker Chandler Jones.

The Packers did none of those things.

Gutekunst went all-in last offseason, turning over every couch cushion to find the money to keep the 2020 team together. That meant pushing millions upon millions of 2021 salary-cap dollars into 2022 and beyond. Given the power of the team he had built, it was the right approach. It didn’t work, but the failure to win the Super Bowl had nothing to do with the roster he assembled.

This offseason, Gutekunst ran out of couch cushions. Tough decisions were made. The roster isn’t as good.

With four of the first 59 selections of this month’s NFL Draft, perhaps Gutekunst can find instant-impact players and reload on the fly. Maybe lightning will strike twice with another big-time June signing. If not, this Packers dynasty that never took hold will plummet off the skyscraper with no guarantee it’ll muster the strength for the long, arduous climb back to the top.