The Green Bay Packers head into the 2026 offseason with a clear identity: they’re contenders. But being good enough isn’t the same as being built to last.
For the second straight year, Green Bay surged into the playoff picture only to see their momentum stall under the weight of injuries and roster thinness. That kind of pattern doesn’t just sting-it demands answers.
Are the Packers close enough to go all-in? Or are they risking Jordan Love’s prime by standing pat?
If urgency is the answer-and it should be-then bold moves aren’t just on the table. They’re the blueprint.
Let’s rewind to the 2025 season. It started with fireworks.
The Packers went big, swinging a blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons. Jordan Love played like a man on a mission, flashing MVP-level command.
First-round pick Matthew Golden exploded onto the scene, giving the offense a new vertical threat. By early December, Green Bay was sitting pretty at 9-3-1, looking like a legitimate NFC heavyweight.
Then the wheels came off.
Injuries hit like a freight train. Both tight end Tucker Kraft and Parsons went down with torn ACLs late in the season.
The result? A four-game skid to close the regular season, dropping the Packers to 9-7-1 and barely clinging to the NFC’s seventh seed.
Their playoff run was short-lived, undone by a blown 21-3 halftime lead in a gut-wrenching Wild Card loss to the Bears. Two straight one-and-done exits.
Two seasons where the ceiling was there-but so was the trapdoor.
This isn’t about talent. It’s about structure. And that’s what makes this offseason so pivotal.
The Packers’ aggressive approach has come with a price tag. They’re projected to be between $1.4 million and $4.3 million over the salary cap.
That’s largely due to big-money deals like Jordan Love’s $36.1 million cap hit and Rashan Gary’s $28 million figure. Add in performance-based escalators for rising young players, and the pressure’s on.
Executive VP Russ Ball is going to have to get creative-whether that means restructuring contracts, cutting ties with veterans, or both. Any major move will require financial finesse, but this front office has shown it’s not afraid to get inventive when the Lombardi is in sight.
So what does Green Bay need to fix?
Start in the trenches. The interior offensive line has been a problem, especially when injuries exposed shaky guard play.
Love took too many hits from the inside, and the run game sputtered when the middle collapsed. Defensively, the issues are twofold: they need more depth up front and a true No. 1 corner.
The pass rush can’t fall apart the moment one guy goes down, and the secondary was picked apart late in the year. Tight end depth behind Kraft is also a concern.
This isn’t a team lacking stars. It’s a team that needs reinforcements.
Enter the trade market.
If the Packers want to make sure their pass rush doesn’t vanish again, Maxx Crosby is the name to circle. The Raiders are rebuilding, and Crosby’s availability lines up perfectly with Green Bay’s needs.
He’s not just a sack machine-he’s a tone-setter. His motor runs hot every snap, and his leadership would raise the entire defensive front.
Pair him with a healthy Parsons and Rashan Gary, and you’ve got a trio that could terrify any offensive coordinator in the league. This isn’t just about splash.
It’s about building a defense that can survive the grind of a full season.
But defense is only half the equation. Protecting Jordan Love has to be priority No. 1.
That’s where Tyler Linderbaum comes in. One of the league’s best young centers, Linderbaum brings elite communication, strong hands, and the kind of anchor that makes interior pressure a non-issue.
He’s a technician in the run game and a wall in pass protection. Slotting him into the middle of the line would instantly stabilize the offense.
It’s the kind of move that doesn’t grab headlines-but wins games in December and January.
Then there’s the big swing: A.J. Brown.
Yes, the Packers have a deep receiving corps. But when injuries hit, they lacked that one guy who could take over a game.
Brown is that guy. He’s a physical force-dominant at the catch point, dangerous after the grab, and a nightmare for defensive backs.
He wouldn’t replace Golden or the other young wideouts. He’d amplify them.
Brown draws top coverage, opens up spacing, and gives Love a go-to option when everything else breaks down. It’s a move that would mark a philosophical shift for Green Bay-away from slow-play development and toward aggressive, win-now roster building.
Each of these moves-Crosby, Linderbaum, Brown-fills a specific need. But together, they’d change the entire complexion of the franchise. The Packers would go from “dangerous if healthy” to “dangerous, period.”
This offseason isn’t about tweaking. It’s about transformation.
Green Bay has the foundation. Now it’s time to reinforce it with steel.
The window is open-but it won’t stay that way forever. And if the Packers want to avoid another season of “what if,” boldness might be the only way forward.