Well, we are in the depths of the NFL offseason now. This is when it starts to get difficult for NFL writers and pontificators to come up with content to write about and talk about. So, they start going for the easy to reach and clickable content that honestly doesn’t have much merit. That comes mostly in the form of bold predictions. And, of course, the Green Bay Packers are without exception to these bold predictions.
To Ben Solak’s (of ESPN) credit, his main topic of discussion in his article titled, “100 days to the 2025 NFL season: Things to know, predictions,” was exactly that. It was a list of a hundred different things for the hundred days leading up to the start of the season. An interesting, bold, topic for someone to undertake on a random May 26th day. But Ben did choose to do it and in said article, Solak decided to make ten bold predictions.
It just so happens that one of those bold predictions is…
That the Packers will not make the playoffs in 2025.
Solak’s Bold Packers Prediction
Obvious, this article was meant for entertainment purposes only, but he still said it. At the beginning of the bold prediction’s section, he said, “Please do not try to screenshot these. It will cause your phone/computer/tablet to explode.” That should indicate some doubt on these predictions. I mean, they are bold predictions.
But I want to get into the two reasonings that he gave for why the Packers will miss the playoffs. Solak said, “I think two of the biggest non-negotiables for playoff teams are having a pass rush and a dominant receiver. The Packers definitely don’t have the first and still might not have the second, even after drafting Matthew Golden in Round 1.”
I tend to agree about the importance of dominant receiver play and having a pass rush. However, the Packers very much lacked the consistency of a pass rush last season and they also did not have a dominant receiver, and yet they went 11-6 and still made the playoffs. Also, Green Bay’s defense, although inconsistent, was ranked 8th last year in sacks with 45 sacks total.
The Packers believe they fixed the inconsistency. They did this by hiring DeMarcus Covington to be their defensive line coach. Covington was the defensive coordinator for the Patriots last season.
Packers Concerns
Solak does bring about some concerns for the Packers 2025 season. So, all of this made me wonder, what are some concerns heading into the season that could prevent the Packers from making the playoffs? And yes, the list does include those two reasons. But for Green Bay to miss the playoffs, it’s going to take more than just those two reasons.
Number 5 – Defensive Pass Rush Doesn’t Improve: For the Packers to miss the playoffs, the defense will definitely need to have a regression. For that to happen, the pass rush needs to continue to be inconsistent or even regress. This will mean that the Packers were wrong about their assessment, that it wasn’t just a coaching issue but a player issue too.
Number 4 – Pass Catchers: If the Packers continue to show a lack of consistent explosiveness at wide receiver, then it could stall the offense. Christian Watson was a unicorn on the offense and could spread a defense with his deep routes. But with him out for at least half the season, it could hurt, a lot. If Matthew Golden doesn’t catch on quickly, it could be a long season on the offensive side of the ball. That being said, there are a lot of weapons on this team so it would take more than just a dominant receiver to cause this team to falter.
New Concerns?
Number 3 – Offensive Line: The offensive line, as mentioned in my “Let’s talk about that offensive line” article, is going to be of the utmost importance to the success of the 2025 Packers. There is a good chance that the offensive line could look completely different in 2025, and if it isn’t successful it could cause the Packers to miss the playoffs.
Number 2 – Special Teams: If you are a Packers’ fan, then special teams should always be a concern for you. The Special Teams showed some improvement last season but that doesn’t mean much around Green Bay. I’m thankful it seems like the Packers found their kicker in Brandon McManus. That being said, I will continue to have mini heart attacks every time the Packers go out on Special Teams.
Number 1 – Cornerbacks: Listen, we are all tired of hearing about the Jaire Alexander story. However, this could be a sticking point heading into the regular season. The cornerback room did okay last year when Alexander wasn’t playing. But if Alexander doesn’t return or continues to have injuries, look out. The Packers cornerbacks may not be ready to help Green Bay make the playoffs.
I hope they prove me wrong. But the cornerback room is my biggest concern heading into the regular season as of June 1st.
Please prove me wrong.
Go Pack Go!
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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The post Packers Concerns to Watch For Entering the 2025 Season first appeared on PackersTalk.com Blog Posts and Podcasts.