The Green Bay Packers must fix a glaring issue with dropped passes if the passing game is to take a step forward during the 2025 season.
Both Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst preached better consistency in their year-end press conferences, and while consistency is often a multi-faceted problem, catching the football more consistently would go a long way in helping the Packers achieve the goal next season.
Drops are a subjective stat, but almost every stat tracker had the Packers as one of the worst-offending teams in 2024.
According to Pro Football Focus, receivers dropped 8.3 percent of Jordan Love’s passes, the third-highest rate among qualifying quarterbacks.
According to ESPN Research via Rob Demovsky, the Packers had the highest drop rate (6.3 percent) and second-highest number of drops (29).
According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers had the third-highest number of drops (33) and the second-highest drop rate (6.9 percent).
Wide receivers were the biggest offenders.
Per PFF, receiver Jayden Reed dropped 10 passes, ranking tied for third most among all players. Receiver Dontayvion Wicks dropped seven passes, ranking tied for seventh, but his 18 percent drop rate was the highest among all players. Receiver Romeo Doubs had five drops.
Pro Football Reference had Reed and Wicks with nine drops each and Doubs with seven. While PFF had Tucker Kraft with only two drops, Pro Football Reference had five.
Christian Watson was credited with only two drops by both PFF and Pro Football Reference, but one drop was a sure-fire touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
Watson’s drop against the 49ers didn’t alter the outcome, but other drops in so many close games did directly affect results, especially in a handful of big games.
LaFleur told Matt Schneidman of The Athletic that the Packers are tough graders when it comes to drops, and the team expects any pass that hits a player in the hands to be caught. It’s possible the team has even higher drop numbers internally.
Catching the football is a detailed process requiring elite hand-eye coordination. Not every throw is created equal, and Love wasn’t always a precise thrower, but when your position is receiver, catching the football — no matter the situation — is the top line of the job description. Consistent fundamentals and concentration are required.
Talent isn’t a problem in the Packers receiver group, but becoming more consistent both in terms of catching the football and finishing plays is an obvious area of necessary growth entering the 2025 offseason.