The Green Bay Packers’ outlook for the upcoming season has been up for debate and then some during the offseason. Some believe the roster still has plenty of talent, and the growth potential of the young players gives them a higher ceiling than last year’s team. Most tend to fall into the group viewing this as a rebuilding season where the ceiling and floor are relatively low.
ESPN’s NFL Nation Packers reporter Rob Demovsky, often featured in their NFL power rankings, falls into the latter category. He sees this season as “an all-out rebuild” and says that Green Bay didn’t improve anywhere after the NFL Draft. Although he might be right on paper, there is reason to believe this team has improved solely off of potential and talent added. We all know rookies shouldn’t be counted on to be huge difference-makers in year No. 1. With that said, it has become more and more common for young players to make immediate impacts. With 13 players drafted and a handful of UDFAs added plenty of players have opportunities to improve on what this team lost during the offseason.
Where Do the Green Bay Packers Sit In the NFL Power Rankings?
The Green Bay Packers were ranked 20th in ESPN’s NFL power rankings following the NFL Draft. This happens to be the same rank they had post-Free Agency as well. We can debate until we are blue about whether this is accurate, but I want to focus on something a little more concerning.
The article had a “Most improved” section for every team, and according to Demovsky, the Packers didn’t improve any from the Draft. Out of all 32 teams, Green Bay was the only team to not have anything listed as being most improved. It’s hard to believe a Packers reporter couldn’t find one area of the team that has improved during the offseason. If the requirement for most improved were the addition of proven talent, then I’d understand, but other teams were given credit for their rookie additions.
Where are the Potential Positions of Improvement for the Packers?
As I stated earlier, there are no guarantees with young players. It takes time to acclimate to the speed of the NFL, and it’s common to see players lacking polish as they could play at a high level in college off of athleticism alone. Techniques and good habits take time to learn and develop. That said, there are a handful of Packers draft picks that I think will contribute in a big way this season, upping their NFL power ranking standing.
Wide Receiver
Demovsky noted in the NFL power rankings the impact of losing pass catchers Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Robert Tonyan, and Marcedes Lewis. Although those players all had moments over the years, last season wasn’t their most impactful. Lazard was solid but had some drop issues, Cobb was banged up, and Tonyan didn’t look overly effective after returning from an ACL injury. Lewis is the only player I’d like to have back, and it’s mainly to mentor the young tight ends while continuing to block at an elite level.
Although Green Bay may be young at receiver, they should be better this season based on talent and health. Christian Watson had a slow start to the season but showed how dynamic he can be once healthy in the second half. Romeo Doubs also had a productive year despite battling injuries himself. Add in a true slot receiver and a second-round pick, Jayden Reed, and the Green Bay Packers have a young, well-rounded group of starting receivers.
Even without bringing potential into the equation, this group is better suited for their roles than what this team had last season. Not to mention the improvements from Watson and Doubs from year No 1 to year No. 2. The addition of a true slot receiver with big-time ball skills can’t be overlooked either. Not having the stability of Lazard hurts, but there will be more talent on the field this season.
Defensive Line
This may seem like an odd position to add here but hear me out. Losing Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed will likely improve the defense by opening up snaps for more talented players. Lowry was reliable but lacked any upside, while Reed was mostly disappointing after having an opportunity to have a big season. With both of them gone, 2022 first-round pick Devonte Wyatt will get way more snaps. When given chances last season, he made plays and showed improvement as the season went along.
We also can’t overlook the addition of snaps for third-year player T.J. Slaton and the injection of talented rookies. Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden also add significant depth, versatility, and upside. The talent and depth on the defensive line are better this season, and it has more positional versatility. Although the position isn’t likely to jump off the page, losing replacement-level players for more talented and versatile linemen is a bonus.
Overall, I think we see two areas of improvement right away, with the potential to add pass rush and safety to that list by the end of the season. As much as I enjoy the work of Rob Demovsky, claiming the Green Bay Packers haven’t improved at all in ESPN’s NFL power rankings seems a bit lazy. Even without factoring in potential, it seems like a few areas have improved for the green and gold.
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