The Green Bay Packers are transforming on offense entering 2023. The transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love is the highlight, but the Packers also rebuilt the wide receiver and tight end positions from the ground up.
While there are veterans at running back and along the offensive line, this is a young group around a first-year starting quarterback.
So, what’s the biggest post-draft question mark for the Packers offense?
Here are the answers from the staff at Packers Wire:
Zach Kruse
Can the passing game handle the youth movement? Throwing the football consistently is a fundamental part of winning games in today’s NFL, but the Packers are coming out of the draft with a first-year starting quarterback, 10 rookie or second-year wide receivers and seven rookie or second-year tight ends. The most experienced receiver or tight end on the roster is Josiah Deguara, a stunning realization for a team just a few years removed from possessing one of the best passing games in recent NFL history. It’s fair to wonder if a quarterback has ever had this level of inexperience around him, and no one even knows if Jordan Love is any good yet. The Packers want this group to grow together, which could pay off in a big way a year or two down the road, but for 2023 specifically, it’s difficult to predict what the passing game can really provide given all the moving parts and youth at the pass-catching positions. A veteran could make sense stability-wise, but is there a realistic option available? If not, can Matt LaFleur keep inconsistency from running rampant in Green Bay as a young quarterback and a host of young receivers and tight ends learn on the job this year?
Brandon Carwile
Is Jordan Love the guy? Right now there is cautious optimism around Green Bay’s new starting quarterback but that is as far as anyone can really go. After all, he has thrown only 83 passes in his career and has only one NFL start under his belt. The decision to move on to Love was catalyzed by his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles last season but it was only one quarter of work. However, the Packers have developed Love as much as they can in a backup role and owe it to themselves to see what they have in their former first-round pick. As he should, Love will obviously get a longer leash this season throwing to pass catchers who are just as green as he is. Still, even with the youth movement underway in Green Bay, Love needs to show signs that he can be the guy for the foreseeable future.
Brennen Rupp
Who is the long-term starting left tackle? Brian Gutekunst has sat in the captain’s chair in Green Bay’s war room for six drafts and the 2023 NFL Draft marked the first time that he didn’t select an offensive lineman. The Packers didn’t have an immediate need for help up front, but it was still surprising to see Gutekunst use 13 picks and not a single one was an offensive lineman. That bodes the question. Who is David Bakhtiari’s predecessor? Bakhtiari will be 32 in September and one has to wonder how much he has left in those legs? If the Packers do indeed move on from him after this season, who replaces him? Is it Zach Tom? Yosh Nijman? Or would they throw a rookie into the deep end of the pool and see if he can swim? Or maybe the Packers think Bakhtiari has a few more years to give.
Paul Bretl
How much consistency can Packers young pass catchers provide? Between the receiver and tight end rooms, the Packers have several legitimate playmakers, but just about all of them are short on experience. Josiah Deguara with just over 600 snaps is the most tenured member of either room. Hopefully, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs make Year 2 leaps, but realistically, with each missing time in 2022 with injuries while also adjusting to a new quarterback, there will be ups and downs. Tight end is perhaps the second-most difficult position to transition to after quarterback, given all the responsibilities that come with that role. And when it comes to the Packers rookie receivers, look no further than at Doubs’ and Watson’s first years to see the potential inconsistencies that come with relying heavily on young players. It goes without saying, but it’s vital that Jordan Love finds success this season and progresses as the year goes along. Part of that equation is going to be his receivers and tight ends providing him some reliability, both in making the most of their opportunities, but also being in the right spots and running the correct routes.
