One team that has had the most talked about NFL offseason is the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets. Matt LaFleur kept his entire coaching staff after an underwhelming 2022 season. Those are just a few of the talking points, but I will leave it at that. Green Bay will be essentially starting from scratch in 2023. There is a new era beginning at the quarterback position with Jordan Love. The defense, which is said to still be on an elite level, needs to find an identity. The offense is extremely young and inexperienced. These might be a few issues that need to be addressed, but let’s take a look at five questions that need to be answered in 2023:
Can The Defense Turn Things Around?
One hot topic this offseason was the retention of defensive coordinator Joe Barry. One thing we know about Matt LaFleur is that he is loyal to his coaching staff and is not a big fan of change. The simply inexcusable performance of the defense last year is an utterly major concern for the Packers in 2023. Green Bay will potentially have eight first round draft picks in their starting lineup. There is going to little to no margin of error for Joe Barry. Too many times in 2022 we saw Barry’s inability to adjust to opposing offensive schemes, and at times, look simply unprepared coming into games. Green Bay is going need a defense who can pick up the slack and hold their own, while giving Jordan Love and company opportunities on the field. If Barry continues his habitual defensive philosophies and refuses to make improvements, Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst cannot avoid it and need to consider the third year defensive coordinator’s future in Green Bay.
Can Christian Watson Stay Healthy For A Full Season?
Credit: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
If there is one player who is due for a huge jump in 2023, it is Christian Watson. One thing we learned about the second year wide receiver from North Dakota State is this: when healthy, he is the best offensive weapon on the field. For a new quarterback like Jordan Love, it is important to have someone he can rely on at all times to make a play, and can consistently be on the field. That, to me, is going to be Watson’s biggest challenge. There is going to have to be a sense of urgency of keeping his body in shape and healthy for a full 17 game season. This is normally not the expectation of a 23 year old second year pro, but when the offense is gutted in the offseason, the expectations are high. If Christian Watson can stay healthy and put the number that he is capable of, he can easily be listed as one of, if not, the best deep threat receiver in the entire NFL.
Where Do Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft Fit In The Offense?
Brian Gutekunst made a very uncharacteristic move in the 2023 NFL draft by selecting two tight ends on day two. However, as unorthodox as the move sounds, it was almost a necessity given the current state of the position. I do think that Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft are going to complement each other quite well and will both see a ton of action. The only thing I question is the role that they will play in Matt LaFleur’s offense given that we have not seen much production from tight ends, with Robert Tonyan’s 10 touchdowns in 2021 being an exception. Make no mistake, this offense will be centered around Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Aaron Jones. One way or another Jordan Love will have his eyes set on on of those three. I do hope that Adam Stenavich and Matt Lafluer take note that Musgrave and Kraft are going to have to play an important role in order to get the offense moving in the right direction in 2023.
Can Matt LaFleur Adapt to Making In-Game Adjustments?
One of Matt LaFleur’s biggest flaws as a head coach has been the inability to make in-game adjustments. Too many times last season we saw the same scripts on offense or defense that played a factor in coming up short in losses. With a new quarterback and overlook to the entire team, the need to adjust is absolutely critical. Jordan Love is going to need some guidance if things are not meshing together, and Joe Barry is going to need to held accountable if the defense continues to struggle. Could LaFleur possibly not made made adjustments because he was confident that Aaron Rodgers had the experience to see more of the field? That is a possibility. To put things in hindsight, there is not much wiggle room for LaFleur and Barry to not consider changing game plans mid-contest. All options and ideas need to considered to turn things around. If we continue to see the same thing half by half with no improvements or adjustments, everyone’s futures in Green Bay need to re-evaluated.
Has Brian Gutekunst Assembled A Team Capable Of Contending?
This seems like a loaded question, doesn’t it? With a new quarterback and inexperienced offense, typically this question would not align with the given situation. The problem that Green Bay has is that time is not on their side; which is why this question relates to what is happening. Jordan Love has two years to prove that he can be the future of the franchise. Most quarterbacks in this situation are just starting their careers or have one full year under their belts. The defense is loaded with talent and has arguably the most expectations of any defense this season. Brian Gutekunst gutted the veteran players that have laid a winning foundation for this team, leaving Aaron Jones and David Bakhtiari as the lone leaders. Gutekunst, hopefully, has a good understanding of the position he has put this team in. If this is how things were envisioned three years ago, then so be it. To answer the question: if Green Bay puts together a 7-10 or 8-9 record with weekly improvements by Love and the defense, this team has the capability to turn heads in 2024. If not, it is surely going to be starting from the ground up for the Green Bay Packers.
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