One Big Question for Every Position on Packers’ Offense

Realistically, the Green Bay Packers’ 11-6 record with a playoff appearance in 2024 isn’t anything to sneeze at considering they’re two years removed from trading legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Expectations, however, were drastically different in 2024 because of their hot finish to 2023. Led by new quarterback Jordan Love, they were supposed to compete for a Super Bowl. Instead, they lost 22-10 to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles. How can they get over the hump to beat teams like Philadelphia?

Offensively, there are more questions than answers going into 2025. Here is the biggest question surrounding each position group.

Quarterback: Will the real Jordan Love please stand up?

Who is Jordan Love?

That was the question going into 2023, and that will be the question going into 2025, as well.

In his debut season as Green Bay’s starter, Love and the rest of the offense started slowly before hitting their stride to end the season. Love was incredible down the stretch, including a big showing in his first playoff start against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

Love’s strong finish earned him a contract extension and had prognosticators like me picking him to win the NFL’s MVP award in 2024. Love never got close to becoming an MVP candidate.

Part of that was injuries that hampered him throughout the first half of the season. Part of that were turnovers, which piled up as he led the league in interceptions when the Packers entered their bye week. Part of that was an offense that seemed to take the ball out of his hands more often than not as the season came to a close.

Only one team ran the ball more than the Packers in 2024. Josh Jacobs was excellent, there’s no questioning that. Unless you have the Eagles’ offensive line, however, you’re likely to fly to the Super Bowl faster than you can drive.

Matt LaFleur never criticized his quarterback, but often called games like he didn’t fully trust him.

The reality is the last four games of the season were the polar opposite of Love’s rise to stardom to close 2023. That includes a dud of a playoff game in which the whole offense stunk and Love threw three interceptions.

The Packers have unwavering belief in Love and, frankly, they have no choice. They gave him the contract. He’ll be the starter in Green Bay, as he should.

To his credit, the good has outweighed the bad. What separates the good players from the great ones, however, is consistency.

Mike Holmgren used to tell Brett Favre if he was unable to be more consistent and correct his mistakes, he’d always be a 9-7 quarterback. Love finding that consistency on a weekly basis is going to play a huge part in determining whether the Packers’ ceiling is higher than that of divisional-round exit.

Running back: Any help for Josh Jacobs?

What an addition to the offense Josh Jacobs was in 2024.

After replacing the popular Aaron Jones, Jacobs became the team’s best offensive player and a team leader. As a result, the Packers leaned on him to the tune of 1,329 rushing yards – the team’s highest total since Ahman Green in 2001 and 2003.

The question for Jacobs in Year 2 is whether or not he can handle the same workload. He touched the ball 337 times in 17 regular-season games, adding 36 catches to his 301 carries.

Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson carried the ball 139 times combined. Rookie Marshawn Lloyd was limited to six carries in his one game as his season was ruined by injuries and misfortune.

Until 2024, Matt LaFleur had favored having multiple backs carry the load in the backfield. That’s why Jamaal Williams and AJ Dillon got as much run as they did behind Jones during their tenures in Green Bay.

For 2025, the Packers need someone to step up to shoulder some of the load that Jacobs carried in 2024.

Lloyd would be a great candidate for that as the team’s third round pick in 2024. He showed flashes of explosiveness and spent a lot of time with Jacobs even while he was injured. He just wasn’t able to stay on the field.

If that proves to be the case again in 2025, LaFleur may need to trust guys like Wilson or Brooks more to keep Jacobs fresh throughout the year.

Receiver: Do they need a No. 1?

With apologies to Matt LaFleur, who said the term “No. 1 receiver” made him want to “vomit,” that question is going to hang outside the door of the receiver room throughout the offseason.

Josh Jacobs threw kerosene on the fire with comments on Radio Row before the Super Bowl.

He'll be doing this for every position on the #Packers' offense and defense but, first, here are @JacobWestendorf's big questions for Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst.https://t.co/TR4kx74rBg
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) February 17, 2025

Whether or not the Packers need a top-tier receiver, they do need help at this position. Christian Watson tore his ACL on Jan. 6 and is likely to miss most of the 2025 season. Romeo Doubs suffered two head injuries and was suspended for a game for conduct detrimental to the team.

Both of those players have expiring contracts, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that both are playing their final season in Green Bay.

Do they need a top target like old friend Davante Adams?

Brian Gutekunst threw cold water on that idea even after the offense struggled to finish 2024.

“I think we have some of those guys and I think we don't have just one,” Gutekunst said when asked about needing a top receiver.

“But I think historically if you look at a lot of the teams, very rarely do teams that have one receiver that's super-heavy with targets. That doesn't usually play out well for playoffs and success there.”

There’s merit to Gutekunst’s theory. The Packers had several bites at the apple with Adams as the best player at his position, like he was from 2019 to 2021.

Adams rewrote the Packers’ record books during those seasons, but the Packers only won two playoff games during that time frame and never led in the fourth quarter of a conference championship game.

On the other hand, the Philadelphia Eagles just won the Super Bowl and have two high-quality receivers. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith scored touchdowns in the Super Bowl as the Eagles rolled through Kansas City.

The Eagles’ identity was not based on its passing game, but it certainly didn’t hurt to have two premier receivers when they needed to make plays in the passing game.

The thought here is that Gutekunst doesn’t need to bring in someone like Adams or Seattle’s DK Metcalf, but he certainly needs to add help to the position to provide some consistency. That includes a veteran as well as some youth to start planning for the upcoming contract decisions that Gutekunst will have to make each of the next two offseasons.

Tight end: How will they feature Tucker Kraft?

Two of the best tight ends in the world played on Super Bowl Sunday.

Travis Kelce probably will be enshrined as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s the all-time leader in receptions in a Super Bowl and has been Patrick Mahomes’ go-to guy since he took over as the team’s starting quarterback.

On the other side was former South Dakota State Jackrabbits star Dallas Goedart. Goedart gave the Packers headaches in the wild-card game, with his four receptions for 47 yards including a 24-yard touchdown in which he continued to slap cornerback Carrington Valentine off him with a vicious stiff-arm. He’s a steady target with the ability to make plays down the field.

The Packers have a former Jackrabbit of their own with Tucker Kraft. After a slow start to his rookie season, he began to emerge as the offense took flight in 2023. In 2024, Kraft was probably the team’s best pass catcher.

The issue, however, is he didn’t get the ball enough. That’s something Matt LaFleur talked about in his final media availability after the season ended.

“I think that’s on us to find him and feature him,” LaFleur said. “When he gets the ball in his hands, you feel him. If there’s an area we have to do a better job on, it’s featuring the tight end.”

Kraft led all tight ends in average yards after the catch (9.3) and forced missed tackles (15), per PFF. He’s a menace with the ball in his hands, and that was part of the reason the Packers would use him as a short-yardage runner in their variation of Philadelphia’s “Brotherly Shove.”

He’s drawn comparisons to San Francisco’s George Kittle. If he’s anywhere near that type of player, the Packers need to find ways to get him the ball more.

Offensive line: What’s the next step?

Green Bay’s offensive line might be a microcosm of the entire 2024 team. They’re good. They’re not great. Now, they’re facing some potential turnover.

Center Josh Myers is set to be a free agent. He was up and down during his tenure in Green Bay, and whether the Packers want him back is unclear.

If he’s re-signed, the Packers might have the same starting five in 2025 as they had in 2024, unless first-round pick Jordan Morgan pushes his way into the lineup. If Myers signs elsewhere, Morgan likely would slot into one of the guard spots, with Sean Rhyan or Elgton Jenkins sliding inside to center. Jenkins was the primary center whenever Myers left with injuries in 2024. He’s played well there in the past.

On Brian Gutekunst’s lengthy to-do list this offseason, extending right tackle Zach Tom has to be one of his top priorities. Tom recently drew some high praise from Houston’s Will Anderson, saying he’s the best offensive lineman that Anderson has faced. He finished third in All-Pro voting at right tackle.

The left tackle spot is interesting as Rasheed Walker is entering a contract year, as well. Do the Packers love Walker enough to pay him? Do they think Morgan is a potential replacement? Do they look to draft his replacement in this draft class? Those are all questions for Gutekunst to answer.

The depth behind the top six is shaky. With Morgan on injured reserve, Kadeem Telfort and Travis Glover were asked to replace Jenkins against the Eagles. Glover was the first man off the bench and was replaced after being tagged with two penalties. Telfort did fine considering the circumstances, but left something to be desired.

Jacob Monk went from getting reps with the ones during training camp to a healthy scratch for most of the second half of the season.

Offensive line depth is an epidemic across the league. Teams rarely have it and, if they do, it’s often gone quickly.

Gutekunst has always prioritized adding to the offensive line. He’s taken three offensive linemen in four of the last five drafts, including Morgan, Monk and Glover last year. Gutekunst may need to add a veteran or two to this group simply to be ready in case one of his starters goes down.

More Green Bay Packers News

In his latest mock draft, @MoveTheSticks sent Ohio State OT Josh Simmons to the #Packers.

Using @PFN365's mock draft simulator, here are six more rounds of picks for the Packers, including two corners and two receivers. ⬇️https://t.co/P2W45apG2z
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) February 18, 2025