Jordan Love takes a step towards elite quarterback status

Love seemed primed to continue his excellent play to end the 2023 season into 2024, before a season full of injuries, beginning in week one, complicated matters. The various ailments may have been the only issue stopping him from making the progress everyone expected.

If Love can gain more consistency in his play entering year three as the starting quarterback and become a top ten, or maybe even closer to top five player at his position, it would be the single biggest positive development that could make the Packers a true contender.

Matthew Golden is an instant hit

Green Bay has had a few successful first round picks in the Brian Gutekunst era, but too many of them have failed to pan out, and they have often been slow burners.

They could really use a first-rounder to come in and hit the ground running, and in recent years, highly drafted wide receivers across the league have hit right away at a decent clip.

The Packers do not need a big contribution from Golden as such, with plenty of pass catching options, but if he can have a rookie impact akin to Brian Thomas Jr., Zay Flowers or Justin Jefferson, it would be a force multiplier for Green Bay’s offense.

Christian Watson returns quickly to top form

A video of Watson running routes as he works his way back from a January ACL injury has stirred up excitement among Packers fans, while Matt LaFleur admitted the receiver is ahead of schedule.

Watson will still likely miss a good bit of time to start the season, but if he is able to not only return, but more importantly, return to 100% effectiveness, in plenty of time before the playoffs, it would provide a massive boost.

Luke Musgrave rebounds from injury-plagued season

Musgrave has fought his fair share of injuries in the first two years of his NFL career, and in his absence in 2024, Tucker Kraft seized the opportunity and grabbed the top spot on the depth chart with both hands.

This has led to some questions about Musgrave’s role in the offense, but he still has an extremely rare and valuable skill set, featuring elite size and speed at the position,which can be weaponized by LaFleur.

Having Musgrave healthy and firing on all cylinders could mean the Packers are able to deploy 12 personnel, utilizing both of their tight ends, to cause real problems for opposing defenses as they try to discern whether they need more heavy or light defenders on the field.

Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs prove the Packers right

One of the biggest areas Green Bay can improve in 2025 is in run blocking.

Josh Jacobs was tasked with making magic last season, and the Packers moved to address this by bringing in Banks from San Francisco, who is a well above average run blocker and in theory can help them be more dominant in the trenches, controlling the line of scrimmage.

On the other side of the ball, there are plenty of unknowns in the secondary, especially after Jaire Alexander’s release. Hobbs proving Green Bay right and becoming a legitimate, quality corner on the outside and in the slot would lift the ceiling of the defense significantly.

Neither Banks or Hobbs are slam dunk free agent additions; there is risk they do not work out as the Packers hope, but their track record in free agency suggests they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Kenny Clark stays healthy

Clark remains the pivotal piece of Green Bay’s defensive interior, leading the group, playing a tremendous number of snaps and doing whatever the team needs based on the strengths of his teammates, whether it is focusing more on stopping the run or getting after the passer.

A toe injury sustained in week one, which Clark played through all year, caused his play to markedly dip in 2024.

Him being compromised is one thing, but after the Packers did little to address the defensive line in the draft, Clark being out of the lineup for a significant length of time could spell real trouble for the defense. A lot will hinge on him staying healthy in 2025.

Lukas Van Ness becomes a worthy running mate for Rashan Gary

Gary had a relatively down year in 2024 as he adjusted to the new defense, but for the most part, the Packers know what they are getting in him. There is a high floor to Gary’s game, but having another capable edge rusher could help him hit the ceiling he has displayed in the past.

Year three will be a big one for Van Ness, who dealt with a broken thumb in 2024 and has been given the runway to win the starting job opposite Gary.

If he can make the kind of strides Packers fans are crossing their fingers and hoping for, the team’s pass rush as a whole would benefit greatly.

Isaiah Simmons becomes a weapon for Hafley

Simmons is Green Bay’s latest reclamation project as a late free agency pickup, and the former eighth overall pick in the draft has a tantalizing skill set to work with.

Seen as a linebacker/safety hybrid entering the NFL, Simmons talked about how his versatility has been a blessing and a curse, not allowing him to settle and gain confidence in any one area of defense.

If Hafley can find a defined role to utilize Simmons’ freakish athleticism and unique profile and let him excel, he could bring an explosive element to the Packers defense.