The Green Bay Packers are rebuilding
Not only will the NFL be more expensive for Green Bay Packers fans to watch this fall, but it might also be a less pleasant experience. The Packers came into the offseason with limited cap space on a team that passed their championship window last season. With Aaron Rodgers wishing to be traded to the New York Jets, the Packers are moving on to Jordan Love starting. A Packers star recently hinted that the 2023 season wouldn’t be fun for the team.
The Packers have holes all over the roster and not enough cash on hand to sign needed free agents. They can add some depth in the draft, but there’s no way they can hit needs at wide receiver, tight end, defensive line, and the secondary to build a serious playoff contender. That will take another offseason with more salary cap and another draft before Love will have the necessary tools to be successful in Green Bay.
Harsh season ahead
All-Pro offensive tackle David Bakhtiari hinted recently that he sees the harsh reality ahead. In an appearance on Barstool Sports Bussin With the Boys podcast, Bakhtiari said the rebuild plan is affecting the Rodgers trade with the Jets:
“Or, option three, and again I’m not being a homer, the Packers are rebuilding, whether you think so or not. Could they be good? I don’t know. Could they be bad? Probably, if you’re betting, more people are going to think they’re going to be bad than good, right?
So then they’re gonna be like, ‘We’re going to suck anyways, we want what we want and we’re not going to bend [to] anyone, so we’ll just eat it. [Rodgers] can stay un-retired. We’ll pay you. We don’t care because if we’re going to do it our way, it’s going to be on our terms. If not, what are we gonna be Super Bowl contenders anyways? So we’ll eat it. [Rodgers] can hang on the side, we’ll pay you your money and then we’ll suck anyways, get the picks.'”
This is a shocking admission from the best Packers players still on the team. The players in the locker room understand that this season won’t be easy, and they’ll have to face adversity this fall before they get better. Bakhtiari isn’t the only Packers offensive lineman who realizes the team is facing new challenges. Elgton Jenkins recently opened up about losing Rodgers this offseason.
Love and the team aren’t giving up on the season yet. Love has been working out with teammates, like running back Aaron Jones, even before OTAs this spring. The Packers could wind up being a surprise, but they’re laying a foundation that could be much stronger in the next few years than if they had tried to patchwork up another run with Rodgers this year. They tried that last year and ended their season falling to a Detroit Lions team that looks to be a serious force in the NFC North in the foreseeable future.
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