What are the Packers' biggest red flags heading into next season?

USA Today

8 hours ago

Despite coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, the Green Bay Packers need to take another step forward to show they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Or do they?
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently included Green Bay on his list of top NFL contenders in 2025. While it's positive the Packers are being mentioned in the same conversation as the Eagles, Chiefs, and Bills, the post highlighted each team's biggest red flags heading into next season.
For the Packers, Benjamin believes depth and durability are their biggest flaws.
"It was one thing for Jordan Love to battle multiple injuries in 2024; it was another for the quarterback to lose practically his entire receiving corps to various ailments by year's end," Benjamin wrote. "The Packers did their best to bolster their depth this offseason, spending not one but two early draft picks on receiver help, but at the end of the day, Matt LaFleur needs his arsenal to stay on the field to ensure his steady rate of postseason bids continues. That includes on defense, where Nate Hobbs will be tasked with filling the shoes of the also-oft-banged-up Jaire Alexander."
Injuries were a major factor in Green Bay limping into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and failing to advance past the NFC Wild Card Round. Two of their most important players—Jordan Love and Kenny Clark—never fully recovered from injuries they sustained in the season opener against Philadelphia. Jaire Alexander is now a Steeler because he appeared in only seven games.
Winning a Lombardi Trophy next year will require some injury luck. Love getting hurt would be a worst-case scenario for Green Bay, which is why addressing the offensive line was a priority this offseason. GM Brian Gutekunst also went out and drafted two wide receivers in the first three rounds to give the quarterback more ammunition.
Although the offensive line and wide receiver depth appear to be in good shape with training camp less than a month away, other positions aren't as solidified.
Of course, every roster has weak spots, and the Packers' are pretty obvious, at least on paper.
Edge rusher was thought to be a substantial need entering the offseason after the defense finished 26th in pass rush win rate, according to ESPN analytics. However, Green Bay didn't add a single pass rusher this free-agent cycle and waited until Day 3 to take an edge.
That means they will rely on Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, and Kingsley Enagbare to hold down the edges in 2025. Gary is coming off a good but not great season, while neither Van Ness nor Enagbare have ever been full-time starters. Behind those three, the depth is questionable with Brenton Cox Jr. and newcomers Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver.
Cornerback is another position that has question marks in its top three. This will be Keisean Nixon's first time entering a season as an outside corner, and playing opposite him is expected to be Carrington Valentine, who started only seven games last season. Nate Hobbs was one of the team's big free-agent splashes as a solidified slot corner.
After that, things look bleak. Javon Bullard is a solid backup option in the slot, but if Nixon or Valentine goes down, the team will have to move Hobbs outside or potentially turn to Kalen King, Kamal Hadden, or Micah Robinson.
King and Hadden did not log a single defensive snap in 2024, spending most of the season on the practice squad. Robinson was the 237th overall pick in the seventh round and could end up as a practice squad stowaway.
Gutekunst seems confident at edge and corner, making a significant change to the roster highly unlikely unless an issue arises during training camp. Even then, you're probably not adding a difference-maker.
So, what do the Packers need to do to be a contender?
Staying healthy will be key, but guys stepping up at key positions like wide receiver, edge rusher, and cornerback will be equally important in deciding how far this team goes next season.