Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Green Bay Packers.
On the surface, the Green Bay Packers have been one of the most stable franchises in the NFL during coach Matt LaFleur’s tenure the last seven years.
They got to the NFC championship game in his first two seasons and have reached the playoffs in all but one of those years while pulling off the transition from legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers to his successor Jordan Love.
Dig deeper, though, and there’s ample reason to question which direction the Packers are actually moving under LaFleur.
Those NFC championship games were way back in 2019 and 2020. LaFleur is just 1-4 in the playoffs over the last five years while Green Bay hasn’t won an NFC North division title since 2021, has won nine or fewer games in three of the last four seasons and lost in the wildcard round each of the last two years, including blowing an 18-point halftime lead in a 31-27 loss to the archrival Bears in January.
The Packers chose to quell the hot seat talk on LaFleur after last season (for now), announcing a “multi-year extension” for the coach as he had just one year left on his original contract. Terms weren’t disclosed on the new deal, however.
And a rough offseason for the team hasn’t assuaged fans who were already grumbling about the state of the franchise.
A lot of that goes beyond LaFleur, of course.
Star edge rusher Micah Parsons, for whom the Packers traded two first-round picks and starting defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys last summer, is still recovering from a torn ACL and will miss at least the first five games of the season (if not more).
The best thing the Packers had going for them last season was their defense, and they lost defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who is now the Miami Dolphins’ head coach. Green Bay replaced him with former Arizona Cardinals head coach (and prior to that Philadelphia Eagles’ DC) Jonathan Gannon, presided over a Cardinals defense that bottomed out last year as one of the league’s worst and ultimately got him fired.
The Packers weren’t able to do much in free agency and took a net loss to their roster while signing only two new additions for more than $3 million/year — former Vikings defensive lineman Javon Hargrave (two years, $23 million) and former Chargers cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (two years, $9.8 million) — and didn’t have a first-round pick because of the Parsons trade last year.
Meanwhile, they lost wide receivers Romeo Doubs (free agency) and Dontayvion Wicks (trade), linebacker Quay Walker (free agency, replaced via trade with Zaire Franklin from the Colts) and two starting offensive linemen in left tackle Rasheed Walker and center Elgton Jenkins (both as free agents).
And then running back Josh Jacobs threw his season in jeopardy in a May 23 alleged incident with a woman that led to Jacobs pleading no contest in court Thursday to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property. He remains on the commissioner’s exempt list with the potential of facing an NFL-imposed suspension.
Here’s where LaFleur comes back into play, meanwhile.
He’s drawn backlash for his response when asked if Jacobs’ plea changes his opinion of the player: “No … because I know the guy and I know the character of the guy. I’ve said it many times and unfortunately situations occur in life and it’s just an unfortunate situation.”
Needless to say, this is not an ideal backdrop for a team needing a bounce-back season.
(All contract values referenced from Spotrac.com)
Green Bay Packers Reset
2025 Finish: 9-7-1, lost 31-27 to Bears in wildcard round
Head Coach: Matt LaFleur, eighth season (76-40-1, 3-6 playoffs)
Hot Seat Meter (0-10): 5.5
Offensive Coordinator: Adam Stenavich, fifth season (LaFleur is the offensive play-caller)
Defensive Coordinator: Jonathan Gannon, first season (previously served as Cardinals HC and Eagles DC)
Best Offseason Move: Trading for LB Zaire Franklin
Again, there wasn’t much to choose from.
After losing Quay Walker in free agency, the Packers found a proven replacement in Franklin, whom the Colts parted with in a salary-cap-saving move in exchange for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.
Franklin’s numbers dipped in 2025 to 125 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 5 passes defended, but he posted between 167-173 tackles each of the previous three seasons while earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2024.
Franklin actually finished with one of the worst PFF grades (38.4) of any linebacker in the league last season, with criticism of his work in pass coverage and PFF assigning him 21 missed tackles. He had a 61.0 grade from PFF in 2024, though, and has been a productive player in the league for years. (PFF grades carry a significant margin for error anyway and aren’t an exact science.)
Worst Offseason Move: Letting left tackle Rasheed Walker go for a bargain contract with the Carolina Panthers
Walker wasn’t one of the NFL’s best left tackles, no, but without bringing in anyone to replace him this move looks questionable, especially consider Walker signed with the Carolina Panthers for just one year and $4 million (plus incentives).
With Walker gone, Green Bay moved Jordan Morgan (a versatile third-year lineman who made nine starts at guard and three at tackle last year) to left tackle. That seems like a gamble, though certainly it could pay off.
But the shuffling leaves Jacob Monk, who has played just 17 games with one start since being drafted in the fifth round in 2024, listed as the starting right guard on the team’s official depth chart.
Seems like a lot of gambles along the O-line. More on this in a minute …
Green Bay Packers Roster Breakdown
Biggest Strength: Defensive secondary
Safety Xavier McKinney is one of the team’s best players at any position, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2024 when he led the NFL with 8 interceptions while posting 88 tackles and 11 PDs. He was a second-team All-Pro last year while tallying 107 tackles, 2 INTs, 10 PDs and a forced fumble.
Fellow safety Evan Williams emerged in his second season with 100 tackles, 4 TFLs and 3 INTs.
Cornerback, meanwhile, might be the team’s deepest position with Keisean Nixon (a two-time first-team All-Pro) and 2026 second-round pick Brandon Cisse (out of South Carolina) listed as the starters with free agent addition St-Juste (a former three-year starter for the Commanders before playing in a reserve role for the Chargers in 2025) and Carrington Valentine (30 starts for Green Bay the last three years) behind them.
Javon Bullard returns as the starting nickel.
Biggest Weakness: Offensive line
PFF slotted Green Bay 27th in its preseason offensive line rankings — while noting returning right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly Zach Tom) as the only lineman of the group inspiring any confidence — and that was not even taking into account the injury concerns that have developed.
Left guard Aaron Banks and Bako-Bewele were both limited in practice during the week leading up to the Packers’ opener due to knee injuries.
Most Intriguing Rookie: CB Brandon Cisse
The Packers’ top draft pick this year won the starting job despite the depth of proven cornerbacks on the roster.
Breakout Player: RB MarShawn Lloyd and TE Tucker Kraft
With Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list indefinitely, Lloyd has a prime opportunity to prove he can be a starting NFL running back.
A third-round pick (No. 88 overall) in 2024 out of USC, Lloyd was electric in his final college season for the Trojans (after transferring in from South Carolina), rushing for 820 yards and 9 TDs on an incredible 7.1 yards per carry.
He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy in the NFL while totaling just 6 carries for 15 yards and one reception in 2024 before missing all of last season due to recurring injuries.
For now, Lloyd is atop the depth chart with Chris Brooks and newly acquired Kaleb Johnson behind him.
Tucker Kraft, meanwhile, is back from a torn ACL that cut short what was shaping up as a breakout season for the tight end last year with 44 catches for 489 yards and 6 TDs in just eight games. In the game before he got hurt, Kraft had 7 catches for 143 yards and 2 TDs vs. the Steelers.
With the Packers thinning out their WR depth, Kraft could see a larger target share in 2026.
MVP Pick: QB Jordan Love
It’s going to need to be if the Packers are going to have a successful season. Between the questions along the offensive line and at running back and the potential, Love is going to need to be at his best.
He passed for 3,381 yards, 23 TDs and 6 INTs last year in his third season as a starter. Few QBs in the league are debated as much as Love regarding his ultimate upside and whether he can be a top-10 NFL QB.
This is the year the Packers need him to show it.
2026 Green Bay Packers Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Week 1, Sept. 13 | at Minnesota Vikings | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 2, Sept. 20 | at New York Jets | 1 p.m. |
| Week 3, Sept. 24 (Thursday) | vs. Atlanta Falcons | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 4, Oct. 4 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 p.m. |
| Week 5, Oct. 11 | vs. Chicago Bears | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 6, Oct. 18 | vs. Dallas Cowboys | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 7, Oct. 25 | at Detroit Lions | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 8, Oct. 29 (Thursday) | vs. Carolina Panthers | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 9, Nov. 8 | at New England Patriots | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 10, Nov. 15 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | 1 p.m. |
| Week 11 | BYE WEEK | |
| Week 12, Nov. 25 (Wednesday) | at Los Angeles Rams | 8 p.m. |
| Week 13, Dec. 6 | at New Orleans Saints | 1 p.m. |
| Week 14, Dec. 13 | vs. Buffalo Bills | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 15, Dec. 20 | vs. Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. |
| Week 16, Dec. 25 (Friday) | at Chicago Bears | 1 p.m. |
| Week 17, Jan. 4 (Monday) | vs. Houston Texans | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 18, TBD (Flex Game) | vs. Detroit Lions | TBD |
2026 Green Bay Packers Season Prediction And Parting Thoughts
Season Prediction: 9-8
The Packers play in one of the toughest divisions in the league where every NFC North team has a strong case to make the playoffs entering the season. Beyond that, Green Bay has one of the toughest schedules overall with legit Super Bowl contenders like the Patriots, Rams, Bills and Texans, along with an improved Cowboys team, all on the nonconference slate.
Given the questions along the offensive line and running back, the change at defensive coordinator and Parsons set to miss a major chunk of the season, it’s hard to see how the Packers take a step forward in 2026.