Packers fans should be excited about what the future holds for their team. The bright future of their team begins with quarterback Jordan Love.
The Green Bay Packers were disappointed with how Saturday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers ended. For three-quarters of the game, the Packers appeared to be on their way to the NFC championship. But the Packers’ Cinderella season came to a close. The Packers lost 24-21 to the 49ers. While the finale was sad, Packers supporters should be optimistic about their team’s future prospects. Jordan Love, the starting quarterback, is the key to their future success.
Jordan Love is one of several pieces to a bright Green Bay Packers future.
For all the criticism that general manager Brian Gutekunst received for picking Jordan Love in the 2020 NFL Draft, it appears like he will have the final laugh. In Love’s first season as the Packers’ starting quarterback, his performance assuaged doubters. So much so, that many believe Love will enter 2024 as the best quarterback in the NFC.
Love surpassed his expectations in 2023. He concluded the regular season with over 4,100 passing yards, 32 touchdown passes, and just 11 interceptions. When things appeared bleak for the Packers, Love stepped up and guided his team to a playoff spot. Love struggled against the 49ers, but starred in the Packers’ first-round playoff triumph over the Dallas Cowboys. He finished 16 of 21 with 272 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and no interceptions. Love demonstrated that the huge stage was not too big for him in both the Packers’ playoff victory and loss.
While Packers fans should be happy about Jordan Love’s plans for 2024 and beyond, he isn’t the only bright spot. It appears that the Green Bay Packers offense has some other bright spots that should shine through.
A stellar group of pass catchers
Many people, including ourselves, think Gutekunst made a mistake by not acquiring a seasoned wide receiver before 2023. The idea was that Love would benefit from having a dependable veteran pass catcher to lean on. Gutekunst’s wager on his young pass catchers, however, paid off handsomely.
Love did not have a number one wide receiver. Instead, he had 1A, 1B, and 1C. Jayden Reed (64 receptions, 793 yards, eight touchdown receptions), Romeo Doubs (59 receptions, 674 yards, eight touchdown receptions), and Dontayvion Wicks (39 catches, 581 yards, four touchdown receptions) formed a formidable combination. The rookie Reed appears to be a rising star, making big plays out of the slot and on Jets sweeps. Doubts, the “veteran” of the gang, became Love’s safety net, relying on him to make plays when needed. Wick, another newbie, surprised everyone in the group. The 2023 fifth-round pick outperformed his preseason expectations.
Head coach Matt LaFleur also received contributions from lesser-known pass catchers. Bo Melton and Malik Heath had 31 receptions for 343 yards and two touchdown catches. The unexpected contributions were simply icing on the cake.
The Packers’ prolific passing attack accomplished all of this without the assistance of Christian Watson, who missed a significant amount of time due to injury. Expectations will rise even higher in 2024, when Watson is scheduled to return full-time. However, Watson will need to demonstrate his ability to stay healthy, which he has yet to do in his first two NFL seasons.
Tight End Position in Good Hands
For a long time, the Packers have been hunting for a tight end who can help with their passing game. Former Packer Robert Tonyan appeared to be that type of athlete, but injuries ended his Packers career. However, it appears that LaFleur has unearthed two tight ends who will contribute in the coming seasons.
Luke Musgrave, chosen in the second round, was supposed to be the type of tight end who could spread the field for the Packers. He shown some of that talent this season, with 34 receptions for 352 yards and one touchdown catch. However, he did miss time this season due to an injury. He returned for the playoffs and should be completely healthy for training camp. While Musgrave is not recognized for his blocking abilities, his potential as a pass receiver is limitless.
Tucker Kraft, a rookie tight end, caught our eye. Kraft, who was chosen a round after Musgrave, took Musgrave’s place when he became injured. The South Dakota State product demonstrated good blocking abilities, which aided the offensive line. Many were surprised by Kraft’s pass-catching ability. He ended the season with 31 catches for 355 yards and two touchdown grabs. This skill should delight both Packers fans and LaFleur. It should allow LaFleur to deploy a lot of two-tight-end setups next season while also giving Love a couple of big-body targets in the passing game.
Outstanding Play by the Offensive Line in the Playoffs.
Last week, we reported that the Green Bay Packers offensive line was coming together at the right time. That camaraderie and excellent play continued against the 49ers on Saturday. The offensive line did not allow any sacks. They didn’t allow a single sack in their two postseason games against the NFL’s finest pass-rushing teams. Not only that, but their run blocking enabled running back Aaron Jones to gain over 100 yards in each postseason game.
The Packers, like the rest of their squad, have a young core. Elgton Jenkins is the most experienced, as he will be entering his sixth season in 2024. This off-season, only Jon Runyan Jr. will be a free agent among the starting five. Even if the Packers let him go, they have a potential replacement in former third-round pick Sean Rhyan, who played this season.
Many questioned if Rasheed Walker could be the long-term answer at left tackle. He struggled at times this season, but finished strong. He showed enough promise that the Packers appear to be parting ways with long-time star left tackle David Bakhtiari this offseason. The appropriate tackle should be built for the present and future. Zach Tom appears to have the talent to be a future All-Pro tackle on the right side.
The Packers appear to only need to fix swing tackle and potentially center. Yosh Nijman was beaten out by Walker and Tom in the preseason, but he continued to play swing tackle this season. He will be a free agent, and it seems unlikely he will return. The Packers will need to locate a reliable backup, particularly for Walker. While starting center Josh Myers has improved this season, there are still worries about his ability to hold down the position. Expect Gutekunst to locate an offensive lineman in this year’s draft who can compete with Myers while also serving as a backup guard.
