Packers at Troubling Spot In New NFL Power Rankings

The Green Bay Packers have qualified for the NFL playoffs each of the last three seasons. However, after what’s been a lackluster offseason, that streak could be in jeopardy.

In new power rankings published on Tuesday, Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr put the Packers way down at No. 17.

“Reuniting Jonathan Gannon with DT Javon Hargrave is one of the better pairings of new coordinators with familiar free agents,” Orr wrote, “given that it stops the bleeding for Green Bay on two fronts: one, it adds some much-needed depth to the Packers’ defensive line, and two, it gives Gannon a leg up in replacing the talented Jeff Hafley.

“Do I think it’s enough right now for me to consider the Packers an NFC North favorite? No.”

That top spot in the NFC North belongs to the Chicago Bears, who are the reigning division champions following a worst-to-first season.

The Bears are 10th in the rankings, with Orr loving what the “one-two punch” of safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush can do for a defense that forced a lot of turnovers but gave up a lot of yards last season.

The Lions and Vikings are right behind the Packers at 18th and 19th, respectively.

Detroit hasn’t recovered from losing coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn and now has to replace the physicality lost on the offensive line and at running back.

Minnesota, on the other hand, could be on the upswing with the addition of quarterback Kyler Murray.

Or maybe not.

“Assuming that Murray will now flourish in the Kevin O’Connell offense is just as faulty as the assumption that J.J. McCarthy automatically would – in my opinion,” Orr wrote. “Murray is no doubt an upgrade over McCarthy, and perhaps with elevated QB play and the Brian Flores standard on defense, we’re looking at a transformed roster. But is that too generous an assumption?”

The Packers are eighth in the NFC in Orr’s rankings. If that holds up, obviously, they would not make the playoffs.

Orr’s not alone in his dour outlook for Green Bay. NFL.com’s Eric Edholm as it at No. 15 in his rankings.

“Jordan Love has only earned a certain level of trust to date,” he wrote. “With Green Bay coming off a gutting Wild Card Weekend loss at Chicago, questions still hover over this talented but flawed team.”

At least the Packers would get in the playoffs, but only as the seventh seed – a familiar and unwelcome place in the postseason for the Matt LaFleur- and Love-led Packers.

Not everybody thinks the Packers are in a bit of trouble. Including the NFL.com rankings, they are eighth in our latest Consensus NFL Power Rankings. They are as high as fifth, including by Pro Football Focus.

“Even amid the slew of roster changes, the Packers still maintain elite talent on both sides of the ball,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote. “After posting the fourth-highest PFF overall grade among quarterbacks last season, Jordan Love gives Green Bay an exceptionally high floor on offense. Edge defender Micah Parsons also gives the defense a dominant force to shoulder the load.”

Our Consensus NFL Power Rankings took six sets of national power rankings and one set of sportsbook odds and created one overpowered power ranking.

Here's where you'll find the Packers and the rest of the NFC North. ⬇️https://t.co/IEwFZE7ccb
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 20, 2026

The Packers were 9-3-1 and leading at Denver when Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL. They didn’t win again the rest of the season, but a strong record headed into the stretch run shows what this team can be when at full strength.

“I think we have really good core players coming back,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. “I feel really good about our core.

“The guys we’re going to bring in, whether it’s the draft or free agency, we’re going to expect them to play and contribute. But I don’t think it’s one of those overhaul-type situations where we feel we’ve got to overhaul the roster, but there’s some significant issues that we’ve got to make sure that we fix before we get into next season.”

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