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: