The Kansas City Chiefs return to primetime in Week 13 as they travel to Green Bay to face the Packers on “Sunday Night Football.”
Three straight years of deep playoff runs ended for the Packers after Green Bay flamed out late in 2022. The team finished with an 8-9 record, falling to the Detroit Lions in the final week of the season with the playoffs on the line. For the first time in years, the Packers’ offense was very pedestrian, ranking 15th in rushing and 17th in both passing and overall offense.
This led to one of the biggest moves of the offseason. Green Bay traded future hall-of-fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, ending an incredible 18-year run together. The Packers will now rally around Jordan Love, who they spent a first-round draft pick on back in 2020.
One of Rodgers’ frustrations with the Packers was their unwillingness to spend money in free agency to surround him with more weapons. They continued that trend this past offseason, not making a single significant offensive signing despite moving forward with the young and inexperienced Love.
The Packers did acquire some new receiving options in the draft, selecting tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft as well as wide receiver Jayden Reed. They also did some much-needed work on their front seven, drafting pass rusher Lukas Van Ness and defensive tackle Karl Brooks. Green Bay ranked 26th against the run and 28th in sacks in 2022.
The Packers are a team in transition and have one of the youngest rosters in the league. They have just two players over the age of 30, one being punter Pat O’Donnell. Showing growth and improvement from start to finish will moreso be their major goal rather than contending for a playoff start.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the Packers’ top players and their outlooks heading into the 2023 NFL season:
Quarterback Jordan Love
Love’s opportunity to show he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL has finally arrived. His one career start came against the Chiefs in 2021. He largely struggled in that game, only completing 55 percent of his passes and leading the Green Bay offense to just seven points. He’s had several mop-up duty appearances, including an impressive showing against the Philadelphia Eagles last November.
There will likely be growing pains with Love, but he has all the physical and natural tools you want in a quarterback. His strong arm gives him the ability to make tight window throws and his six-foot-four athletic frame allows him to run the ball effectively and absorb hits. He’ll need to prove that he can make smart decisions with the ball and throw with consistent accuracy.
Running back Aaron Jones
Never really considered among the elite at his position, Jones has been one of the most consistent and perhaps underappreciated running backs in the league over the last several years. He has three career 1,000-yard rushing seasons and has caught at least 45 passes in each of the last four years.
Last season Jones set a career-high with 1,121 rushing yards, good for ninth in the NFL, and his 5.3 yards per carry ranked first among all running backs. Despite those accomplishments, Jones has only made one Pro Bowl and has never been named an All-Pro. With Love now at the helm, the Packers could rely even more on Jones to carry the offense.
Wide receiver Christian Watson
Watson scored first among all wide receivers on the athleticism test in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has blazing 4.3 speed and excellent ability to highpoint the ball with his 6-foot-4 frame. As a rookie last season, Watson made several big plays down the field, averaging just shy under 15 yards per reception.
Watson did battle through some inconsistencies, however. He caught two or fewer passes in six games and was held under 20 receiving yards in five games. But in Weeks 10-13, Watson went on a tear, racking up 313 yards and a whopping seven touchdowns. With a year now under his belt he’ll enter 2023 as Green Bay’s top receiver and a chance to put his game all together.
Outside linebacker Preston Smith
Smith is a savvy and consistent veteran who has never missed a game during his eight-year NFL career. He has recorded at least eight sacks in five seasons, totaling 58 for his career. In 2022 Smith set a career-high in tackles with 59.
Shockingly, Smith has never been selected to the Pro Bowl or as an All-Pro. He’ll continue to strive to reach those goals, as well as win a Super Bowl. The Packers will depend on Smith to be a mentor to rookie Lukas Van Ness and establish themselves as a premier pass-rushing tandem.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander
Alexander is coming off his second Pro Bowl and All-Pro nod in 2022 and has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He was tied for fifth in interceptions with five and allowed a low 66.2 passer rating per Pro Football Focus.
Alexander also checked in at No. 5 on PFF’s top 32 cornerbacks list. His 82.1 coverage grade was fourth best in the NFL. With 4.3 speed, Alexander can hang with any receiver in the league one on one, and his closing speed helps him to be among the best tackling corners.
