These Five Packers Can Make or Break Their Season

All eyes are going to be on Jordan Love, but no quarterback can be successful on his own. Here are five Packers who must have a good season.

Author:
Jacob Westendorf
Publish date:
Sep 5, 2023 11:53 AM EDT

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

The 2023 NFL season is upon us.

A new era has dawned for the Green Bay Packers following the trade of Aaron Rodgers and the ascension of Jordan Love. Can Love follow in the footsteps of Rodgers, who followed in the footsteps of Brett Favre? Maybe those expectations aren't fair, but nothing about Love's time in the NFL has been fair.

The Packers have expressed faith in Love, but they understand it takes time to learn how to win.

"I think the one thing you see in this league, it's very rarely are guys shot out of a cannon winning-wise." Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said during the offseason.

That may be true, but the NFL is a league with less patience than ever. The Packers, despite changing quarterbacks, play in a winnable division.

Love will need to play well for Green Bay to recapture the NFC North title. These five players must deliver, as well.

David Bakhtiari

This isn't a question about Bakhtiari's ability. When he's been on the field, he's been excellent. Bakhtiari didn't allow a sack in 11 games last season.

The issue has been a complex injury that turned Bakhtiari's career upside down. Coach Matt LaFleur keeps calling the situation “fluid.” It truly feels like a day-to-day situation with Bakhtiari, though the five-time All-Pro likes where he’s at entering the season.

If the Packers' new regimen works, and Bakhtiari is available throughout the season, all is well.

If it doesn't, things can get dicey. Yosh Njiman, Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom have done a nice job filling in at tackle when asked. But none of those players are Bakhtiari, a true field filter at his position.

As LaFleur has said for months, the Packers are a better team when he's on the field.

The best way to break in a new quarterback is to make sure he's protected. Having one of the best left tackles in football is a really good start to protecting your quarterback.

Devonte Wyatt

The Packers' issues stopping the run have been talked about for months, and for good reason. They're one of the worst teams in the NFL against the run during the LaFleur era.

Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt represents the most significant investment Gutekunst has made toward fixing that problem. He's the only first-round pick Gutekunst has used on a defensive lineman.

Wyatt was one of the stars early in training camp, but he had only a decent preseason. It’s a bit of an apples-and-oranges comparison due to the quality of competition they faced, but Wyatt was outplayed in the preseason by rookies Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks.

Wyatt barely played for most of his rookie season before delivering some impact snaps as part of an increased workload down the stretch.

“I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident with plays,” Wyatt said. “I’m a lot more focused, not much stress. I hit the rookie wall about the beginning of the year but it’s gone now. Now, it’s just time to take that next step.”

That next step means being a force next to Kenny Clark.

If he is, the Packers should improve against the run. Plus, his ability to rush the passer could make that group lethal.

Christian Watson

Romeo Doubs received most of the fanfare during a strong offseason and training camp. He has a chance to be a really good receiver. His connection with Love should help him get to that point.

But he's not nearly as gifted as Christian Watson.

Watson came on strong to end last season, scoring eight of his nine touchdowns during the second half of the year.

Watson and Love were not fully synced up during the preseason, but they think that's something that will come with more time.

“I think it’s something we have to keep working at,” Love said after a recent practice. “Obviously, different looks, receivers might be getting held up a little bit, so the timing is off. We just have to keep working on it.”

Watson has shown he can be a lethal downfield threat. If Love and Watson can get the deep ball working, it not only will provide explosive plays for them but create openings for others.

While Doubs and rookie Jayden Reed will be key parts of the passing game, for the Packers’ offense to reach its peak, there’s only one receiver with the skills to be a true No. 1. That’s Watson.

Luke Musgrave

Musgrave being on this list is a byproduct of a couple factors.

First, he's the most significant investment the team has made at tight end since using a first-round pick on Bubba Franks in 2000.

Secondly, there just are not that many bodies at the position. Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis signed with Chicago. Tyler Davis is out for the season with a torn ACL. Josiah Deguara is listed as a fullback on the team's unofficial depth chart.

Tight end is going to be the Musgrave and Tucker Kraft Show. Kraft looked like a player going through the typical growing pains expected of a rookie tight end.

Musgrave has been a different story. The team has made him a point of emphasis in the passing game.

Even if he has some struggles that are typical of rookies, the opportunities are going to be there.

The bold prediction here is that Musgrave will break the franchise record for catches by a tight end, a mark held by Jermichael Finley with his 61 receptions in 2012.

Quay Walker

Walker is in a similar boat to Musgrave. He's the most significant investment the team has made in an inside linebacker since drafting AJ Hawk with the fifth overall pick in 2005.

Walker had an up-and-down rookie season, but a strong finish was marred by a second ejection of the year for shoving a Detroit Lions trainer during the closing moments of the Week 18 game at Lambeau Field.

“I have a much higher standard for our players than to do something silly like that,” a fuming LaFleur said after the game. “We've had a guy ejected twice. I don't think I've ever seen that in my career, and we've got to be much more mentally tough."

Walker, to his credit, has not shied away from the issues that plagued him a season ago.

Walker said he needed to give himself grace in order to move on.

This doesn't even account for his play. Walker's presence combined with 2021 All-Pro De'Vondre Campbell could give the Packers their best linebacker crew since Hawk paired with Desmond Bishop to help the Packers win Super Bowl XLV.

His athleticism was on display by the end of the season. He was thinking less and reacting more. A strong training camp could set the stage for a big Year 2.

Walker's development is part of the solution for the Packers' run defense. Moreover, his all-around skill-set could mean an expanded role.

“I think that’s the reason why Gutey selected me because I’m one of the guys in my class that has a high ceiling and can play multiple positions,” he said. “I think that’s better for me, to be honest, and better for the team, as well. Just go from there and whatever they need me to do, I’m willing to do it.”