Where Do Packers Rank in NFL Preseason Power Rankings?
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The ultimate power rankings this time of year are produced by sportsbooks. At SI Sportsbook, the Green Bay Packers have the fourth-shortest odds to win the Super Bowl, behind only the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Due in large part to the offseason trade of Davante Adams, and the perceived failure to adequately replace him, the Packers are a bit further down the pecking order in some media power rankings.
At Pro Football Focus, for instance, the Packers are sixth.
“Sure, when the Packers have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they are perennial contenders,” wrote PFF’s Sam Monson, “but they have had problems against the best teams deep in the playoffs, and that was with the best receiver in the game (Davante Adams) in the lineup. This offseason, the Packers lost Adams and replaced him with Sammy Watkins and a pair of rookies — Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who were the seventh and 19th receivers selected, respectively. To the Packers’ credit, their defense may be better than it's been in years, and they are getting players such as David Bakhtiari back, but that receiving corps could be a terminal problem.”
The Packers finished as the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season despite Bakhtiari, cornerback Jaire Alexander and tight end Robert Tonyan most of the season with major injuries. Alexander is full-go following last year’s shoulder injury, the expectation is Bakhtiari will be on the practice field for the first practice on July 27, and Tonyan could be ready for Week 1, too.
Those are among 20 reasons why this could finally be the year the Packers add another Lombardi Trophy to their trophy case. Receiver, on the other hand, is a major reason to worry. It’s not just who will replace Adams’ production, but who will get open in critical moments?
Here are a few more power rankings.
Walter Football, 11th: “It's disappointing that the Packers didn't trade up for Treylon Burks, who happened to be Aaron Rodgers' preferred receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft. I like Christian Watson, but he's no Burks. On the bright side for Green Bay, its defense, now armed with Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt, should be stellar.”
CBS Sports, 8th: “The Aaron Rodgers Effect. Green Bay didn't have a particularly inspiring offseason, failing to add a single impact veteran to an offense that lost perennial Pro Bowler Davante Adams out wide, but the reality, like in Kansas City and Tampa Bay, is that every skill-position starter looks better when a game-changing QB is running the show. If Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb or rookie Christian Watson don't break out downfield, then Matt LaFleur still has a lightning-and-thunder combo in the backfield, with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon built to produce in tandem.”
Chicago Sun-Times, 5th: “The Packers are rebuilding at wide receiver after trading Davante Adams, but Rodgers is good enough to turn anonymous players into big contributors.”
The Packers made SI.com’s list of championship contenders.
20 Reasons Why Packers Will Win Super Bowl
1. Four-Time MVP Aaron Rodgers
2. Potentially Powerful Defense
3. Rich Bisaccia Leads We-fense
4. Weakness of NFC North
5. Return of David Bakhtiari
6. Return of Jaire Alexander
7. Return of Robert Tonyan
8. Turnovers
9. Big-Play Aaron Jones
10. Powerful AJ. Dillon
11. NFL Draft Class of 2021
12. NFL Draft Class of 2022
13. Kenny Clark and Powerful D-Line
14. Rising Star Rashan Gary
15. All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell
16. ‘Return’ of Mason Crosby
17. Lambeau Field
20. Less Pressure on Rodgers
Packers Positional Previews
Part 16 (15 days): Positional preview No. 1 – Quarterbacks
Part 17 (14 days): Positional preview No. 2 – Running backs
Part 18 (13 days): Positional preview No. 3 – Receivers
Part 19 (12 days): Positional preview No. 4 – Tight ends
Part 20 (11 days): Positional preview No. 5 – Offensive line
Part 21 (10 days): Positional preview No. 6 – Defensive line
Part 22 (9 days): Positional preview No. 7 – Outside linebackers
More Packers Training Camp Countdown
Get ready for July 27, the first practice of training camp, with this unique series of features.
Part 1 (30 days): All Matt LaFleur does is win (in the regular season)
Part 2 (29 days): Dominant Rasul Douglas
Part 3 (28 days): Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon
Part 4 (27 days): 27 is the magic number
Part 5 (26 days): Rich Bisaccia’s brilliance on special teams
Part 6 (25 days): Aaron Rodgers vs. the NFC North
Part 7 (24 days): Can defensive live up to hype?
Part 8 (23 days; July 4): These players will provide the touchdown-scoring fireworks
Part 9 (22 days): Homefield dominance
Part 10 (21 days): Christian Watson and history of FCS receivers
Part 11 (20 days): 20 reasons why Packers will win Super Bowl
Part 12 (19 days): Packers excel at avoiding turnovers
Part 13 (18 days): Why Packers could lead NFL in interceptions
Part 14 (17 days): How Packers will replace No. 17
Part 15 (16 days): Mason Crosby kicking into NFL record book