Brett Farve, Aaron Rodgers, and Jordan Love have blessed the Green Bay Packers with premier quarterback play over the past 30 years. However, teams are more than just their quarterback, and the Packers have been doing a tremendous job of building outside of their franchise cornerstone. Still, dynamics have shifted dramatically in the NFC North.
The Chicago Bears drafted Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, signed running back D’Andre Swift, and traded for Keenan Allen. On paper, the Bears look like a much more dangerous team. Adding Odunze and Allen to a wide receiver core that already includes D.J. Moore is a scary thought for opposing defensive coordinators. Chicago’s future outlook has improved from last offseason, but we don’t know if their rookies are NBA-ready.
The Minnesota Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy and signed Sam Darnold as a bridge quarterback. They traded a haul to move up and snag a premier edge rusher in Dallas Turner to replace Danielle Hunter. The Vikings also signed old friend Aaron Jones, and the team has a good young group of wideouts, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison leading the way. Ultimately, McCarthy will have to become a franchise quarterback for this group to win.
The Detroit Lions are enjoying success for the first time in many years. They have a premier wideout and running back in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jamyr Gibbs, with a solid quarterback in Jared Goff. The team has a strong offensive line and a good coaching staff. The defense has some impact players, and Detroit also used the draft to improve the secondary.
The Packers signed Josh Jacobs and drafted Marshawn Lloyd to create a new running-back duo. They have four young wideouts who have unique strengths. The Packers have young leaders at every level of the defense. Love looks like he’s ready to establish himself as an elite quarterback, and the Packers just invested in the future of their offensive line through the draft with first-rounder Jordan Morgan and two other picks along the offensive line.
Goff may be a better player than Love right now, but Love could become more of an impact player than Goff as early as next year. The Packers also know what they have in Love, while there is a lot of uncertainty regarding Williams and McCarthy’s long-term development.
No other team in the NFC North has the depth and skill the Packers have at wideout. While Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson, and Moore may be better than any of Green Bay’s wide receivers, the Packers’ depth and skill at wideout is much deeper than their competition’s high-end talent.
Defensive coordinators can scheme to shut down premier wide receivers like Jefferson. Still, it’s hard to find a way to shut down four receivers – Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks – simultaneously.
The Packers also have a deadly combination of speed and power with Lloyd and Jacobs. While the Lions have a solid pair of running backs, David Montgomery has a lot of mileage on his body. Chicago also signed Swift, but he’s on his third team in three years. The Vikings are lucky to have Jones, but he may not have many prime years left.
Teams are lucky to have one tight end who can impact the passing game, and the Packers have two. Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave showed off their tremendous potential last season. Musgrave and Kraft are in great positions within Green Bay’s offense to succeed because the team features two tight end sets more than most. The Bears, Lions, and Vikings all have one solid tight end — so, half as many as the Packers.
Green Bay has these players on team-friendly contracts for the foreseeable future. The Packers have done a fantastic job preparing for young, skilled, and inexpensive playmakers at every offensive position.
By loading up on depth at each skill position to complement their franchise quarterback, the Packers have set themselves up to win the NFC North now and in the future.
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