The Packers are heading into 2026 with plenty of buzz, and at least one league voice thinks this could be the year Green Bay makes its move.
An AFC coach recently pointed to Jordan Love’s growth and his comfort in Matt LaFleur’s offense as reasons for optimism. As that coach put it, “Jordan Love has been getting better,” an AFC coach recently told Between The Hashmarks. “He’s been in that system for a while, and this is the year the Packers finally break through.”
That belief is easy to understand on paper. Love’s experience in the system gives Green Bay a real foundation.
But the early-season picture is not exactly clean. Micah Parsons is expected to miss at least the first month while on the Physically Unable to Perform list, and the concerns don’t stop there.
The offensive line looks patched together, and the cornerback room is also drawing skepticism.
Pro Football Focus put the Packers at No. 13 in its preseason power rankings and gave them a 54% shot at making the playoffs.
“Through most of the 2025 season,” analyst Bradley Locker writes for PFF. “The Packers looked like legitimate title contenders - but an onslaught of late-season injuries proved insurmountable.
Green Bay won’t be at full strength early in the season without Micah Parsons (torn ACL) and Josh Jacobs (Commissioner’s Exempt List), where natural questions about its pass rush and run game will rise to the surface. Worries about the offensive line and receiving corps can be assuaged by Jordan Love’s performance, while Jonathan Gannon’s defense still has stars like Xavier McKinney and Edgerrin Cooper.”
The biggest swing factor may be how Gannon builds pressure without leaning on the disruption Parsons usually brings. If that part holds together, Green Bay can survive the first four-to-six games and stay alive for a late push toward the playoffs. If it doesn’t, the road gets a lot steeper in a hurry.
In Other News...
Romeo Doubs Just Sparked A New Packers Debate
Romeo Doubs first game with the Patriots offered a familiar reminder of why his departure from Green Bay still invites debate. Brought in during the 2026 offseason on a four-year deal, Doubs stepped into a receiving group dealing with injuries and immediately saw action in a recent game, drawing three targets as New England tried to piece together its passing game.
For Packers fans, the performance landed in that awkward middle ground where the old questions never quite go away. Doubs had one drop and one interception on the night, a rough enough debut to keep the focus on his fit and his reliability, but also a sample that feels too small to settle anything. Green Bays decision to move on from him remains part of the conversation, and this outing only adds another layer to it. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Week 1 Depth Chart Hints At Whos Winning Key Job Battles
The Packers first unofficial depth chart after roster cutdowns offered an early snapshot of how several of the roster battles appear to be shaking out heading into Week 1. Jacob Monk is penciled in at right guard, a notable sign for an offensive line spot that drew plenty of attention through camp and the preseason, while Barryn Sorrell is projected to line up opposite Lukas Van Ness at edge rusher.
Keisean Nixon also appears to be holding onto a starting cornerback job, even with fresh competition arriving through the draft and free agency. None of it is official, of course, but the chart does reflect what Green Bay saw throughout the summer and gives a useful read on which players have done enough to put themselves in position for opening week. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Defense Faces A Real Identity Debate Under Jeff Hafley
The Packers defense has already shown plenty of new wrinkles under Jeff Hafley, but the bigger question may be how willing Green Bay is to change its personnel habits to match what offenses are doing. Seattle has leaned hard into five defensive backs when opponents go with two or fewer receivers, using that grouping on 81 percent of those snaps, the highest rate in the league. Green Bay, by comparison, has gone in the opposite direction, using that look on only 14 percent of such plays, which is second-lowest in the NFL.
That contrast speaks to a broader identity debate between coaches who see the same modern passing game through different lenses. Jonathan Gannons approach with the Seahawks has emphasized flexibility, and Nick Emmanworis ability to move between slot and linebacker roles gives Seattle a kind of matchup freedom that few defenses can copy cleanly. For Hafley and the Packers, the challenge is figuring out how much of that adaptability belongs in their own version of the defense, and how far they are willing to go to get there. [Read more 🡒]