In my last piece, we broke down reasons for pessimism surrounding the Green Bay Packers’ 2025 season. This article flips the script. While the Packers didn’t make many splashy moves early in the offseason, they sent shockwaves through the league this week with a franchise-altering trade that changed the conversation entirely.
If you somehow missed it, Green Bay traded for Micah Parsons. He is not just one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, but one of its very best players, period. Adding Parsons instantly vaults the Packers into the NFC’s inner circle of contenders. But the optimism doesn’t stop there. From roster upgrades to breakout candidates, Green Bay has plenty of reasons to believe 2025 could be a special season.
Jeff Hafley’s Defense
Let’s start with the defense, now entering its second year under coordinator Jeff Hafley. The improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 was striking: the Packers jumped from 17th to 6th in yards allowed per game. All of this happened despite down years from Rashan Gary, former Packer and current Cowboy, Kenny Clark, and Jaire Alexander, whose injury-plagued seven-game season led to his release.
Turnovers were another bright spot. After forcing only 18 in 2023, Green Bay ranked 4th in the league with 31 takeaways in 2024. Hafley has pushed for even more aggressiveness, especially in punching out fumbles. The results were already evident in the preseason finale, when the Packers forced four turnovers against Seattle. Don’t be surprised if this defense leads the NFL in takeaways this year.
The Offensive Line Shuffle
The offensive line is quietly one of the most intriguing units on the roster. Former center Josh Myers struggled down the stretch in 2024, contributing to narrow losses against Detroit and Minnesota. The front office addressed the issue by signing Aaron Banks to play left guard and moving Elgton Jenkins inside to center. Banks isn’t quite the pass protector Jenkins is, but he’s a stronger run blocker and a clear upgrade over Myers.
Oddly, PFF (Pro Football Focus) downgraded the unit from 6th in 2024 to 14th heading into 2025. They even ranked the Packers unit last in the NFC North. That evaluation feels misleading, especially given the Packers’ depth at tackle with Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, and first-rounder Jordan Morgan. Don’t be shocked if this group ends up among the best in football.
Matthew Golden Changes the WR Room
For the first time in 23 years, the Packers used a first-round pick on a wide receiver. Matthew Golden’s early returns have been everything they hoped for. Green Bay’s receivers have been plagued by inconsistency and drops in recent years. Golden immediately stood out with the best hands on the team, elite route running, and 4.29 speed. Despite being a rookie, he looks like the Packers’ WR1, finally filling a void left by Davante Adams’ departure in 2022.
Tucker Kraft’s Breakout Potential
Tight end Tucker Kraft came on strong last season, proving he’s more than just a complementary piece. He led all tight ends in yards after catch (9.1 per reception) by a wide margin, outpacing George Kittle’s 6.7. Head coach Matt LaFleur has already admitted he regrets not featuring Kraft more, and this year, that’s set to change. Pair him with a healthy Luke Musgrave, and Green Bay just might have the most athletic tight end duo in the league.
Jordan Love’s Ceiling
In today’s NFL, you need an elite quarterback to win a championship. When healthy, Jordan Love has looked capable of being exactly that. A Week 1 knee injury derailed his 2024 campaign. But he’s healthy entering this season, even with training camp thumb surgery on his non-throwing hand.
Love brings everything you want in a franchise QB: arm talent, accuracy, mobility, and poise in the pocket. This season, he’ll be surrounded by the deepest supporting cast of his career. If he plays like he did in the second half of 2023, this offense will be one of the best in the NFL.
The “What Ifs”
Every season comes down to the “what ifs”:
- What if Edgerrin Cooper builds on his strong rookie campaign and continues to develop into a top-tier linebacker?
- What if safety Evan Williams returns to the pre-injury form he showed in the first half of last season?
- What if Nate Hobbs stays healthy and becomes a reliable corner replacing Alexander?
- What if Rashan Gary bounces back and has his first double-digit sack season now that he is playing opposite Micah Parsons?
If even a few of these questions break Green Bay’s way, the Packers will be a nightmare for their opponents.
Conclusion
Vegas set the Packers’ over/under at 9.5 wins before the Parsons trade, largely due to their difficult schedule. But on paper, Green Bay should be favored in at least 11 games. That number could easily balloon to 13 if they are favored at home against contenders Philadelphia and Baltimore.
This isn’t the profile of a 9-win team. The Packers have made the playoffs for two consecutive years with the youngest roster in the NFL. They’ve since upgraded at wide receiver, tightened the offensive line, and added future Hall of Famer Micah Parsons to an already top-10 defense. And I still haven’t mentioned running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney, arguably their two best players a year ago.
Simply put, this is the most talented Packers roster in years. They added an elite pass rusher on defense, something they haven’t had since Clay Matthews Jr. As long as Jordan Love takes the next step, Green Bay has every reason to believe 2025 could be the year they bring the Lombardi Trophy home. Go Pack Go!
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