The Packers’ offseason is drawing some heavy fire, and the criticism comes down to one blunt idea: Green Bay may have given away more than it brought in.
NFL Media’s Max Okada handed the Packers a “D-minus” for the work they did this spring, putting them among the lowest-graded teams in the league. His read is that general manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers are leaning hard on hope, while some meaningful pieces either left town or were moved out without being replaced by proven answers.
“The Packers lost a good bit more than they gained this offseason,” NFL Media’s Max Okada writes of Green Bay’s offseason. “Notable departures included Doubs, Gary (in a trade with Dallas that only netted a 2027 fourth-round pick), OL Elgton Jenkins (released), OT Rasheed Walker, LB Quay Walker and WR Dontayvion Wicks (traded).
Their most notable free-agent addition was probably 33-year-old DT Javon Hargrave. They extended Watson (for too much money, in my opinion) and Reed (for OK money, if he can stay healthy).
Yeah, not great.
“Green Bay didn’t have a first-round pick (thanks to the Micah Parsons trade), so its first selection in the draft was CB Brandon Cisse at No. 52 overall. It’s tough to find a bright spot here, and with Parsons targeting a mid-October return from knee surgery, I would not be surprised to see the squad slide to the bottom of the NFC North in 2026.”
That’s the heart of the concern: the Packers are banking on their own guys taking the next step. Lukas Van Ness is supposed to finally hit the level Green Bay has been waiting for.
Jordan Morgan is expected to play like a first-round pick. Matthew Golden needs to make a leap.
Christian Watson has to stay healthy and keep climbing.
If those bets hit, the roster has a chance to look a lot better than it does right now. But that’s a lot of faith to place on players who still haven’t delivered consistently, and it leaves the Packers in a spot where the offseason feels more like a gamble than a clear upgrade.
In Other News...
Micah Parsons Back In Dallas Will Stir Up Packers Fans
Micah Parsons turned up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas over the weekend for the FIFA World Cup game between Ivory Coast and Norway, and the sight of him back in the building where he made his name is bound to stir something among Packers fans. Parsons, who wore a black soccer jersey, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cowboys before being traded to Green Bay last year, a move that still carries plenty of weight whenever he surfaces in Dallas.
The backdrop makes the moment even more interesting for Packers supporters, because Parsons arrived in Green Bay after a contract dispute with Jerry Jones and immediately delivered the kind of impact the team hoped for. His first season in green and gold was a strong one before it was cut short by a season-ending injury, so every public appearance tied to his old NFL home tends to invite the same question from both fan bases: what comes next for one of the leagues most watched stars? [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Made A Stunning Mike Pennel Reversal
ESPN has pulled back a report that had wrongly tied former NFL defensive tackle Mike Pennel Jr. to a woman's death in the Dominican Republic, a sharp reversal after his side pushed back with documentation. Pennel, who is currently a free agent after last playing for the Chiefs and Bengals, had been caught in a story that drew immediate scrutiny because of how serious the allegations were and how thin the public footing appeared to be.
His attorneys said he had nothing to do with the womans death or disappearance and was never considered a suspect or person of interest. ESPN removed the original article after being presented with evidence that Pennel was not in the Dominican Republic when the woman vanished, leaving the network to acknowledge errors even as the larger circumstances around the case remain unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Rookie Is Creating A Training Camp Problem Fans Will Love
Training camp is about to bring a little extra heat to the Packers offensive line, and rookie Jagar Burton is part of the reason why. The fifth-round pick has put together a promising offseason, enough to draw positive attention from Matt LaFleur and put himself squarely into the mix as Green Bay sorts out who fits where up front.
Sean Rhyans new contract gives the Packers a familiar option, but it does not guarantee anything once camp starts, especially with other interior candidates still under evaluation. Anthony Belton is also in the conversation, which means this may turn into one of those summer battles the coaching staff likes and the fan base follows closely, because a rookie forcing his way into the picture would be exactly the kind of development that changes the tone of camp. [Read more 🡒]