The Green Bay Packers played it close to the vest this offseason—and that conservative approach didn’t match the bold expectations fans were carrying.
With more cap space than they’ve had in years, and coming off back-to-back playoff runs where the roster’s lack of an extra playmaker showed up in big moments, the table was set for a splashy offseason. But instead of diving in, GM Brian Gutekunst dipped a toe and called it good.
The result was a few modest additions and a lot of banking on internal development. But in some spots, that bet feels more like a gamble, and it left a few position groups in worse shape than last year.
Offensive Guard
The Packers’ biggest O-line shuffle involved letting center Josh Myers walk and bringing in veteran guard Aaron Banks from San Francisco.
Banks, to his credit, is a load—6'5", 325 pounds, and built to move bodies in the run game. He’s logged 43 starts for the 49ers and brings experience and toughness.
But there’s a catch: Banks is strictly a left guard. That means Elgton Jenkins, a two-time Pro Bowler and one of Green Bay’s most versatile linemen, will slide over to center. Jenkins has proven he can play just about anywhere on the line—and play well—but this move still raises eyebrows.
Swapping out a Pro Bowl-caliber left guard for an average one, just to patch a hole at center, feels like a downgrade in disguise. Banks might hold his own, but he’s not Jenkins. And on the right side, it’s a toss-up between Sean Rhyan and second-year man Jordan Morgan, neither of whom offers much proven consistency.
So, instead of running it back with Jenkins and Rhyan, the Packers are rolling out Banks and a question mark. On paper, that’s a step back.
Defensive Tackle
Next up, we're picking on the big guys up front—because the defensive tackle room didn’t get much love this offseason.
The entire defensive line was a question mark heading into the spring (spoiler alert: edge rushers are coming next), but GM Brian Gutekunst and the front office pretty much shrugged at the position.
Kenny Clark was supposed to anchor the transition to Jeff Hafley’s new 4-3 scheme. After years as the centerpiece in a 3-4 front, the switch was hyped as a potential unlock for his game.
Instead, the door slammed shut.
Clark managed just one sack—the lowest total since his rookie season. His pressure numbers and tackle totals dipped to career lows, too. Not exactly the breakout Hafley had in mind.
The rest of the crew didn’t offer much help. Devonte Wyatt, TJ Slaton, Karl Brooks, and Colby Wooden all had flashes, but none moved the needle.
The Packers let Slaton walk in free agency and brought in... nobody. No veterans, no big bodies, no real reinforcements.
They had a shot to address the spot in the first round of the draft, but the board didn’t cooperate. Top prospects like Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen, and Kenneth Grant were gone by the time Green Bay was on the clock. Tyleik Williams was still there, but the Packers opted to fill another hole by grabbing wide receiver Matthew Golden instead.
So now, it’s more of the same: hoping last year’s underperformers can level up, and betting on coaching to make the difference. That’s a lot of wishful thinking for a unit that got pushed around far too often in 2024.
Defensive End
If you're not getting better, you're getting worse—and when it comes to the Packers’ edge rushers, that saying is starting to hit a little too close to home.
Green Bay loves betting on traits: freaky athletes with sky-high potential who can be molded into game-wreckers. That’s the philosophy behind drafting Rashan Gary at No. 12 in 2019 and Lukas Van Ness at No. 13 in 2023.
So far, the results have been underwhelming.
Gary has made steady strides since entering the league. He bumped his sack totals from 2 to 5 to 9.5 in his first three seasons—but he’s hit a ceiling since. He hasn’t turned into the dominant, double-team-drawing force the Packers were banking on.
He’s still a good player. But in 2025, he carries the fourth-highest cap hit among all edge rushers—and his production just doesn’t match that billing.
Van Ness is a bigger concern. He looked mostly lost in 2024. The tools are there—he’s a prototype athlete—but none of it matters if you can’t beat the guy in front of you. He’s got no real pass rush plan, no go-to move, and no momentum heading into year three. This season could be make-or-break for his NFL career.
The Packers had chances to bring in a steady veteran to help balance things out. They passed.
Instead, they took two swings in the draft: Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round and Collin Oliver in the fifth. Both have upside, sure, but banking on Day 3 rookies to fix a pass rush is asking a lot.
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. We’ll see if it pays off.