The Green Bay Packers are entering the 2024 season as a trendy Super Bowl pick after rebounding from a 3-6 start and making an impressive playoff run during the first year of the Jordan Love era in 2023. Love is now the highest-paid quarterback in football, the young offense has a year under its belt and the defense is moving forward with a new, aggressive defensive coordinator and a big-time addition in safety Xavier McKinney.
The highly anticipated season kicks off Friday night against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil.
The staff at Packers Wire makes W-L record and outcome predictions before the start of the 2024 season:
Zach Kruse, managing editor
11-6: This has all the makings of a special season. The Packers offense could be one of the NFL’s best, given the combination of Jordan Love’s ascendancy to end last season, the depth of weapons around the quarterback position, the potential of the offensive line and Matt LaFleur’s dynamic, versatile scheme. While there are question marks on defense, particularly at linebacker and cornerback, the talent level is considerably better entering 2024 and Jeff Hafley’s scheme might finally unlock the disruptive ability of a deep front. On paper, the Packers should be terrific at both throwing the football and defending the pass, two important factors for playing winning football each week. There will be bumps along the way. The NFC North is improved, and the schedule isn’t as forgiving as last year. But there’s no reason why the Packers, if healthy, can’t get to double-digit wins and be in contention to win the division from start to finish. In a best-case scenario, the Packers start fast and rise to the top of the NFC, securing a top seed in the postseason. I think they probably have a few slipups that prevent the easiest playoff path. Still, this team has everything it needs to make a Super Bowl run, especially in a conference where the top teams — namely the 49ers and Cowboys — dealt with turmoil off the field this summer. The Packers are young, talented and hungry after nearly getting to the NFC title game last January. My guess: the Packers win 11 regular season games and two playoff games but come up just short of a Super Bowl appearance.
Brandon Carwile, contributor
10-7: I expect the offense to get off to a faster start than last year. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft are no longer rookies, and with a year of experience, they should be much more comfortable heading into their second seasons. If Christian Watson has truly moved past his hamstring issues, Green Bay’s top deep threat should be on the field a lot more. Jordan Love’s chemistry with Romeo Doubs is evident, and adding Josh Jacobs to the backfield provides another dynamic weapon. Altogether, these pieces surrounding an emerging quarterback could form a top-10 offense. Most of the question marks lie on defense, where new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will implement an entirely new scheme in 2024 featuring more aggressive coverages. Like the offense last year, it might take some time for the defense to adjust. Despite that, this team is as well-rounded as it has been in years and should make the playoffs. A tougher schedule may prevent them from dethroning the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions, but this Packers team is capable of a deep playoff run if everything clicks.
Brennen Rupp, contributor
13-4: I’m all in on Jordan Love and this young offense. This offense took off when Aaron Jones got healthy and finished the season on a terror with five straight 100-yard rushing games, including two in the playoffs. Josh Jacobs is going to step into that role and flourish. Jacobs is not far removed from the season he led the league in rushing yards and he’s a make-you-miss running back. The year Jacobs led the league in rushing he forced 90 missed tackles and racked up over 1,000 yards after contact. With a year of working together, it’s reasonable to expect Love and his group of young pass catchers to continue to put up gaudy numbers.
Jeff Hafley takes over a defense that has plenty of talent. I expect Rashan Gary to have a 10-plus sack season, while Kenny Clark enjoys maybe the best season of his career. If Eric Stokes can stay healthy and rediscover his rookie form, the Packers could have two lockdown cornerbacks on the boundary. The safety room went from the worst in the league to a position that looks strong on paper with the free agent signing of Xavier McKinney and the additions of Javon Bullard and Evan Williams via the draft.
Greg Williams, contributor
12-5: The Green Bay Packers are poised for a deep run in 2024, building on last year’s playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys and a strong offseason. With key players returning to full health and impactful additions, the team is prepared to elevate its performance on both sides of the ball. The addition of Josh Jacobs gives the offense a powerful, dynamic rushing attack, while Xavier McKinney brings leadership and playmaking ability to a secondary anchored by a healthy Jaire Alexander. The defense, now under the guidance of new coordinator Jeff Hafley, may have a slow start, but it has the potential to quickly find its rhythm and become a dominant force as the season progresses.
While the Packers are well-equipped to contend, they are fully aware of the challenges ahead. They face one of the tougher schedules in the league, with high-stakes matchups against top teams, and they’ll need to navigate an improved NFC North, where the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears are intriguing teams to watch. Nevertheless, with Jordan Love continuing to develop and the roster now more balanced than ever, the Packers are setting their sights on a 12-5 finish, ready to make a deep playoff push and compete for the Super Bowl.