Plenty is at stake for the Green Bay Packers heading into the 2024 season as they look to reclaim the throne in the NFC North and build on last year’s postseason success. It will also be a critical season for individual players on Green Bay’s roster, whose future with the team or spot on the depth chart is still up in the air.
The Packers are fortunate to have a lot of roster carryover from a year ago, but some of their players are entering what might be a career-defining season.
If this group of players makes the most of the opportunity in front of them, they may set themselves up for a huge payday and could even help Green Bay emerge as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Last season, the Packers were on the doorstep of the NFC Championship if not for a fourth-quarter collapse against the 49ers in the divisional round. This season, these four players entering a make-or-break campaign could help them get over the hump:
C Josh Myers
Green Bay’s preferred starting center over the last three seasons is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Myers has shown flashes of why he was a second-round selection in 2021, but his entire body of work pales compared to Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey, who was selected with the very next pick. Internally, the Packers still have plenty of faith in Myers, seeing that he ran with the No.1 offense throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp. However, he must find a way to be more consistent to warrant another contract.
In April, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that some people inside the organization believe offensive lineman Zach Tom has Hall-of-Fame potential as a center. Tom has only logged four snaps at center during his NFL career but was considered one of the top center prospects coming out of Wake Forest. Coupled with the fact that Green Bay used a 2024 draft pick on another prospect with center experience in Duke’s Jacob Monk, the team could be preparing to move on from Myers unless he has a breakout season.
RB AJ Dillon
Dillon said he turned down multiple offers during free agency to sign a one-year deal with the Packers. The running back, passionately referred to as “Quadzilla,” is deeply embedded in the community and wasn’t about to pass on an opportunity to return.
Although Dillon is great in the locker room and beloved among fans, he faces many of the same obstacles that were in his way during his first four seasons. Dillon averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last season and is, at best, the team’s second option following the Josh Jacobs signing. The Packers also used one of their third-round picks on Marshawn Lloyd, a talented prospect out of USC who claims to be the best running back in this year’s class. Lloyd’s burst and elusiveness could help him push Dillon for carries when Jacobs isn’t on the field.
Dillon showed up in excellent shape this offseason, but it remains to be seen if he can make the most of his second chance.
G Sean Rhyan
Rhyan got a taste of what it was like to be a starter when he split snaps with veteran Jon Runyan toward the end of last season. Now, he has a chance to eat the full meal.
With Runyan joining the New York Giants on a lucrative three-year deal, the Packers have a vacancy at their right guard spot. Naturally, Rhyan has gone from being the next man up to a front-runner for the opening.
Following a disastrous rookie season in which he was suspended six games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, Rhyan finally gained some traction in year two. Originally a tackle prospect out of UCLA, he has since transitioned to the interior of the offensive line, where his toughness and strength are well-suited.
Of course, Rhyan won’t just be handed the job; he must prove he can be a mainstay upfront for the offense. He may not get a better opportunity.
CB Eric Stokes
Bad luck with injuries has played a massive part in derailing a promising start to Stokes’ career.
The 29th overall pick back in 2021 enjoyed a fruitful rookie campaign that saw him finish with a team-high 14 pass breakups to go along with one interception and 55 tackles. Unfortunately, Stokes was off to a slow start for his sophomore season and then suffered a Lisfranc foot injury that forced him to go on injured reserve for the rest of the year.
After spending the entire 2023 offseason and the beginning of the regular season trying to get healthy, Stokes finally returned to action for a Week 7 matchup against the Denver Broncos. His return lasted all of four snaps on special teams before a hamstring injury sidelined him yet again.
Stokes tried to give it another go two months later but re-injured the same hamstring, ending his season prematurely for the second straight year.
During Stokes’ absence, first-year corner Carrington Valentine went from being a seventh-round depth piece to a reliable starter. Now that Stokes is healthy, the Packers are tasked with figuring out who will line up opposite Jaire Alexander.
Stokes still has the upside of being a starter in Green Bay, but he must stay healthy while outperforming Valentine. The Packers will likely give Stokes every chance to be successful after making a hefty investment in him.
Like Myers, Stokes is also in the final year of his rookie contract. Green Bay declined Stokes’ fifth-year option back in May, but he can always play his way into a new deal.
