Matt LaFleur returns for his eighth season in Green Bay as the Packers look to get back into action after their devastating meltdown to the Chicago Bears in last year’s Wild Card round. Adam Stenavich returns for his fifth season as offensive coordinator. Jordan Love returns at quarterback. Running back Josh Jacobs has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List for misdemeanor battery and criminal property damage, leaving his availability uncertain as the league continues to investigate his legal case. The Packers will lean on Marshawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson to handle the workload, but it’s an understatement to say the running game suffers tremendously with Jacobs not on the field. The Packers will miss Romeo Doubs, who is off to New England. The Packers return Matthew Golden, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft at tight end. The offensive line returns Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly Zach Tom). Jacob Monk opens the season at right guard. Bako-Bewele suffered a knee injury in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve, with Anthony Belton taking over at right tackle.
The Packers have a new-look defense under first-year defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who comes over from the Cardinals, where he served as head coach last year. The Packers return just six of their top eleven tacklers from last year, with top tackler Quay Walker now playing for the Raiders. Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Lukas Van Ness, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie return in the front seven. Micah Parsons has been activated from the PUP list and is back in the lineup. The Packers acquired Javon Hargrave from the Vikings and Zaire Franklin from the Colts. Chris McClellan will compete for a starting job immediately. The secondary returns Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard.
Cam Achord is the new special teams coordinator. The Packers break in a new placekicker in Florida rookie Trey Smack. Daniel Whelan returns as the punter after averaging an exceptional 51.7 yards per punt last year. Skyy Moore is expected to play a major role in the return game. With a balanced attack and a defense that keeps opponents honest, the Packers should remain a tough out in the NFC North this year.