How far do you realistically see us going this year?

[Joemailman]

I don't really see it as negativity. It's just recognizing that a highly successful season relies on some players recovering quickly from major injuries; others contributing far beyond what they ever have before because of injury, opportunity or their own performance; and still others (rookies) adapting to the NFL quickly. A lot of players must step-up this year; more than usual.

I think the Packers have a bunch of players who are already good players but are at an age where they are still capable of more or just coming into their prime. I think few teams have as good a combination of youth and experience as the Packers.

Matthew Golden - 22
Javon Bullard - 23
Edgerrin Cooper - 24
Jordan Morgan - 24
Anthony Belton - 25
Tucker Kraft - 25
Lukas Van Ness - 25
Evan Williams - 25
Xavier McKinney - 26
Jayden Reed - 26
Jordan Love 27
Micah Parsons - 27
Zach Tom - 27
Christian Watson - 27
Daniel Whelan - 27

[Anti-Polar Bear]

So if Coldplay coaches the team, we go 17-0? ok, hire'em hahahaha.

Literally ALL of those "ifs" are way better than 50/50.

Dunno if Coldplay knows anything about American football, but lyrically, pretty sure the song is about quitting burger flipping or any miserable, dead end gig. Grass ain’t always greener on the other side, I reckon, but it’s sagacious to pursue the dream and fail than keep on flipping burgers til one’s too old and impotent to change her mold - as the regrets of not taking a shot drowns her head with even more misery.

Shit, Tex, I’m 43. It’s time to quit the burger gig to chase after the poker dream. Butte and I, we’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I think the offensive line will be better this year, and that's huge. Morgan will likely be a huge upgrade over Rasheed Walker, and surely Banks will be at least mediocre - if he can stay on the field. Rhyan might be a bit better than he was last year, given his experience at the position, and will be better than Jenkins was. Belton ought to be better just for the experience and practicing as a guard. Tom, if healthy, should be stellar. That's all better than last year.

I think the corner position will be better, though not by much.

I think the defensive line will be better this year, unless injuries strike key players. Still, I'd be curious what the asking price for Vita Vea would be.

The wide receiver room certainly has less depth. Injuries, again, will be key.

The running back room is iffy, even if Jacobs plays. He's slowing down a bit. And who can count on Marshmallow Lloyd?

Outside of Tucker Kraft, that is an awful tight end room. If he goes down, they're screwed.

Good at safety. Really good.

Linebacking group will be about like last year, I think. You lose Quay Walker's speed but gain Franklin's instinctual play.

EDGE rushers - I'm more excited about than most of you. I don't think losing Gary and Enagbare was bad. Those guys were okay, and that's all. Now they have young hungry guys to fight for spots. I like Sorrell, I like Cox (breakout year?), I like the Dentist. If Van Mess can stay healthy, he'll do well this year. So I think they can hold down the fort until Parsons returns.

Love can get the job done, no question. Especially if MLF turns him loose, which he might have to, given the state of the running back room.

I am trying to separate my dislike of MLF as a person (he seems pissy and snarky and not very genuine) from my analysis of his coaching. He's won a bunch of games, but has he gotten the most out of the talent he has, which is every head coach's job? I think maybe not. To be fair, I think he got stuck with a crummy defensive coordinator when he first hired on, and he's had a lot of injuries to deal with, but his in-game decision-making at key moments seems questionable and sometimes turtleish. The way his teams fell apart in fourth quarters last year does not speak well to his coaching.

All in all, in the NFL these days, as others have said, it's about injuries. If your major players stay injury-free or suffer only minor (missing a game or two) injuries, this team can get to the NFCCG and even win it. Maybe win an Owl, with some luck.

If however some of your major players go down, these team will be relegated to the mid- to lower tier of the NFL. But you could say that about most if not all NFL teams.

Good post.

I reckon, the weakest link on the team remains corner. If Nixon AND Valentine are the two boundary corners again, season ain’t gonna be ecstasy.

Sucks that, J-Alex, a shutdown corner, suffered a mental bout of, for you old schoolers, Syd Barrett. Wish J-Alex was still here.