The Green Bay Packers are no strangers to quarterback transitions, having successfully shifted from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers. Now, they find themselves in familiar territory, moving on from Rodgers to Jordan Love—and so far, it’s looking promising.
In his debut season as a starter, Love led the Packers to a surprising playoff run and a Wild Card victory. His performance earned him a four-year, $220 million contract extension, matching the richest deal in NFL history.
With this investment, the Packers have handed Love not just the reins of the offense, but also a great deal of responsibility. As the saying goes, “To whom much is given, much is expected.”
Will Jordan Love’s Growth Nudge The Packers Over The Lions in NFC North?
At the start of last season, Jordan Love had little NFL experience, and the Green Bay Packers were adjusting to life without Aaron Rodgers, who had been their starter for 15 of his 18 seasons in Green Bay.
Fast forward to the end of the season: Love led the Packers to a 21-14 lead over the San Francisco 49ers heading into the fourth quarter of the Divisional Round. Although the Packers couldn’t hold on and the Niners advanced, there was plenty of reason for Green Bay to feel optimistic about its future with Love as their quarterback.
As the 2024 season begins, the Packers have continued to reshape the roster for the post-Rodgers era. Key offensive veterans have moved on, making way for a younger generation of players.
On defense, the changes go beyond the roster. A new defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, has taken over after Joe Barry was let go. Hafley’s task is to blend the remaining veterans with a talented and deep pool of young defensive players, and early signs are promising.
The goal? To catch the Detroit Lions. Yes, the Lions.
These aren’t the Lions of old. Detroit dominated the NFC North in 2023, winning the division by three games. They’ve also worked hard to improve their roster, so Green Bay will need to take a big leap forward to compete.
But that significant leap might be exactly what the Packers are poised to make.
Packers’ Projected Depth Chart
Quarterback (2)
Starter: Jordan Love
Backup: Sean Clifford
Running Back (3)
Starter: Josh Jacobs
Backups: AJ Dillon, MarShawn Lloyd
Wide Receiver (6)
Starters: Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed
Backups: Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Samori Toure
Tight End (4)
Starter: Luke Musgrave
Backup: Tucker Kraft, Ben Sims, Tyler Davis
Offensive Line (10)
Starters: Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Jordan Morgan, Zach Tom
Backups: Andre Dillard, Royce Newman, Jacob Monk, Sean Rhyan, Kadeem Telfort
Defensive Line (8)
Starters: Rashan Gary, T.J. Slaton, Kenny Clark, Preston Smith
Backups: Kingsley Enagbare, Karl Brooks, Devonte Wyatt, Lukas Van Ness
Linebacker (6)
Starters: Quay Walker, Eric Wilson, Isaiah McDuffie
Backups: Ty’Ron Hopper, Edgerrin Cooper, Kristian Welch
Cornerback (6)
Starters: Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon
Backups: Corey Ballentine, Carrington Valentine, Kalen King
Safety (5)
Starters: Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard
Backups: Evan Williams, Anthony Johnson Jr., Benny Sapp III
Specialists (3)
Kicker: Anders Carlson
Punter: Daniel Whelan
Longsnapper: Matt Orzech
Packers’ Roster Changes
The youth movement within the Packers’ roster over the past two offseasons extends beyond just the quarterback position or the offense. While the Jordan Love-for-Aaron Rodgers swap is the most high-profile change, other key veterans have also departed, making way for younger players with less experience but greater potential.
One of the most significant changes, aside from QB, is at running back. Aaron Jones, who racked up 8,016 yards from scrimmage and 63 touchdowns in seven seasons with Green Bay, has moved on. Approaching 30, Jones was replaced by the younger and equally explosive Jacobs, who just turned 26.
The offensive line has undergone a similar transformation. Longtime left tackle David Bakhtiari, once synonymous with the position in Green Bay, remains a free agent. His replacement, Rasheed Walker, was a seventh-round pick in 2022. Green Bay also invested a first-round pick this year in Jordan Moses, who is expected to step in for veteran Jon Runyan.
The defense hasn’t been immune to this overhaul either. Veterans like linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and safety Darnell Savage have been let go. In their place, Green Bay signed former New York Giants safety McKinney, who is just 25, to a lucrative deal. Additionally, the Packers used two second-round picks, along with one third and one fourth-round pick, on defensive players who will either start or be primary backups this season.
Players Added:
- OT Andre Dillard
- RB Josh Jacobs
- K Greg Joseph
- S Xavier McKinney
Players Lost:
- OT David Bakhtiari
- LB De’Vondre Campbell
- TE Josiah Deguara
- RB Aaron Jones
- OT Yosh Nijman
- S Jonathan Owens
- OG Jon Runyan
- S Darnell Savage
2024 Draft Class
- 1st Round, 25th Pick: OL Jordan Moses
- 2nd Round, 45th Pick: LB Edgerrin Cooper
- 2nd Round, 58th Pick: S Javon Bullard
- 3rd Round, 88th Pick: RB MarShawn Lloyd
- 3rd Round, 91st Pick: LB Ty’Ron Hopper
- 4th Round, 111th Pick: S Evan Williams
- 5th Round, 163rd Pick: OL Jacob Monk
- 5th Round, 169th Pick: S Kitan Oladapo
- 6th Round, 202nd Pick: OL Travis Glover
- 7th Round, 245th Pick: QB Michael Pratt
- 7th Round, 255th Pick: CB Kalen King
Packers’ Coaching Staff
The biggest change to Matt LaFleur’s staff in Green Bay this season was on defense, where he selected Hafley, the former Boston College head coach who also has seven years of NFL coaching experience, to take over. The change at coordinator led to other changes on the coaching staff roster on defense.
Kyle Wilber, Special Teams Quality Control Coach
Matt LaFleur, Head Coach
Rich Bisaccia, Assistant Head Coach, Special Teams Coordinator
Jeff Hafley, Defensive Coordinator
Adam Stenavich, Offensive Coordinator
Luke Butkus, Offensive Line Coach
Tom Clements, Quarterbacks Coach
John Dunn, Tight Ends Coach
Eddie Gordon, Assistant Offensive Line Coach
Rob Grosso, Offensive Quality Control Coach
Connor Lewis, Assistant Quarterbacks Coach
Ryan Mahaffey, Wide Receivers Coach
Sean Mannion, Offensive Assistant
Ben Sirmans, Running Backs Coach
Jason Vrable, Passing Game Coordinator
Myles White, Coaching Assistant (Minority Fellowship)
Derrick Ansley, Passing Game Coordinator (Defense)
Anthony Campanile, Linebackers/Running Game Coordinator
Wendel Davis, Defensive Quality Control Coach
Ryan Downard, Defensive Backs Coach
Sean Duggan, Defensive Assistant
Vince Oghobaase, Assistant Defensive Line Coach
Anthony Perkins, Defensive Quality Control Coach
Jason Rebrovich, Defensive Line Coach
Byron Storer, Assistant Special Teams Coach
Packers’ 2024 Schedule
Green Bay begins and ends the regular season in splashy fashion, meeting the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo, Brazil to kick off the season on Friday, Sept. 6. The Packers’ late-season schedule includes prime-time games in Week 13 through Week 16 before contests in Minnesota and at home against Chicago to close out the slate.
With the scheduling formula pitting the Packers against the NFC West and AFC South this season, plus the fact that they play second-place teams from the NFC East and NFC South, it won’t be an easy path. But in reality, there are no easy schedules in the parity-crazed NFL.
According to Pro Football Network’s NFL Strength of Schedule Rankings, the Packers’ slate this season is the 13th-hardest.
- Week 1: at Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Fri. 9/6 at 8:15 p.m. on Peacock)
- Week 2: vs Indianapolis Colts (Sun. 9/15 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 3: at Tennessee Titans (Sun. 9/22 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 4: vs Minnesota Vikings (Sun. 9/29 at 1:00 p.m. on CBS)
- Week 5: at Los Angeles Rams (Sun. 10/6 at 4:25 p.m. on CBS)
- Week 6: vs Arizona Cardinals (Sun. 10/13 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 7: vs Houston Texans (Sun. 10/20 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 8: at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sun. 10/27 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 9: vs Detroit Lions (Sun. 11/3 at 4:25 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 10: BYE
- Week 11: at Chicago Bears (Sun. 11/17 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 12: vs San Francisco (Sun. 11/24 at 4:25 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 13: vs Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving (Thurs. 11/28 at 8:20 p.m. on NBC)
- Week 14: at Detroit Lions (Thurs. 12/5 at 8:15 p.m. on PRIME)
- Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks (Sun. 12/15 at 8:20 p.m. on NBC)
- Week 16: vs New Orleans Saints (Mon. 12/23 at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN)
- Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings (Sun. 12/29 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX)
- Week 18: vs Chicago Bears (Sun. 1/5)
2024 Season Prediction for the Packers
It’s hard not to admire the approach Green Bay’s front office and coaching staff have taken to revamp the roster. Transitioning from a future Hall of Fame quarterback is never easy, but the Packers have done it with prudence and purpose.
They’ve not only identified Jordan Love as the successor to Aaron Rodgers but also committed to building a solid infrastructure around him to ensure his success.
The youth movement is fully underway in Green Bay. While a few savvy veterans remain to provide leadership, the depth chart is loaded with rising stars and players hitting their prime.
This season, expect Love to take to the air, utilizing one of the youngest yet most promising wide receiver groups in the NFL. Jacobs, a dual-threat at running back, will provide balance to the offense while contributing his share of explosive plays.
A 4,000-yard passing season for Love and a 1,500-yard, 10-touchdown campaign from Jacobs are well within reach for Matt LaFleur’s squad. Keep an eye on Reed, who is poised for a breakout year. With defenses focused on Doubs and Watson on the outside, Reed will have ample opportunities to make an impact from any position on the field.
On defense, new coordinator Jeff Hafley has the tools to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. The defensive line is strong, anchored by a pass-rushing duo in Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, who combined for 17 sacks last season. At linebacker, Quay Walker has the potential to be a game-changer. In the secondary, McKinney will bring stability to a young group of defensive backs, highlighted by shutdown corner Jaire Alexander.
Record Prediction: 12-5 (1st Place in the NFC North)