The Green Bay Packers have work to do this offseason. No, not just the usual business of signing free agents and drafting well—it’s the guys already on the roster who need to step up.
After shocking the NFL in 2023 by making the playoffs as the youngest team in league history, Green Bay followed it up with a solid 2024 campaign.
They improved record-wise but left fans with the nagging feeling that they had untapped potential—and a few too many winnable games that slipped through their fingers, like a wet football in December.
To avoid that next season, they need major internal improvements from several key players. These five Packers are officially on thin ice after the first wave of free agency, whether due to new signings or the lack thereof.
1. Jordan Morgan
One of the Packers’ two big free-agent signings was at left guard, where they brought in Aaron Banks. They also let Josh Myers walk in free agency (he signed with the New York Jets), setting up a new projected starting unit: Rasheed Walker, Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom from left to right.
Astute readers will notice that 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan is not in that equation. His chances of securing a starting spot are now slimmer than Aaron Rodgers keeping quiet in the media. He’ll still have every opportunity to compete at right guard or left tackle, but the road just got a lot tougher.
For Green Bay, having a first-round pick ride the bench for two straight seasons is hardly ideal. If Morgan doesn’t progress in the offseason, he could end up as Green Bay’s equivalent of an unused gift card—technically valuable, but not doing anyone any good.