Packers SWOT analysis: if you know what that means, you probably just made an annoyed grunt; if you don’t, you were lucky enough to skip business classes in college. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It’s the type of analysis that only gets done in schools, or by writers searching for something else to write about in the middle of July. Let’s look at one of each for the Packers.
Strength
I think the clear strength of this team will be the run game. Aaron Jones is a top-5 back, AJ Dillon is average to above-average, the offensive line is well above average, and Jordan Love will add some level of QB mobility to the equation. But the most important thing, is that the team actually cares about running, and running well.
Look for the Packers to be a top running team again this season, and possibly even jump up a tier as fewer runs are turned into Aaron Rodgers side arm throws and more runs are used to setup later play action.
I think we’ll also see some more creative run designs. Not to say the rush offense hasn’t been creative before – the Packers had the best pin and pull game in the league last year. But I’d like to see more jet sweeps, end arounds, WRs in the backfield, options runs, QB sneaks in the redzone, etc.
Weakness
The clear weakness is the spine of the defense. From the interior d-line, through the inside linebackers, all the way to the 6 JAG safeties competing to start, the middle of the defense is bad.
Kenny Clark is a former pro-bowler, but he’s coming off his worst season. DeVondre Campbell turned back into a pumpkin last year and Quay Walker spent about as much time pushing non-players as he did making plays. We don’t need to even talk about the safeties.
That said, there is some potential for improvement – how can there not be when expectations are as low as they are. Clark and Darnell Savage will almost certainly play better. DeVondre Campbell was playing hurt, and Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt are both 1st round pick who could make that second year jump, that brings us to opportunities.
Opportunity
I think the clear opportunity for this team is in the youth that it has. A first- or second-year player will likely start at wide receiver, tight end, linebacker, right tackle, and defensive tackle. That doesn’t include Jordan Love or the potential for players like Lukas Van Ness or Anthony Johnson Jr. to make an impact.
The Packers have been a veteran led team for a long time and there are still plenty of vets in the locker room, but we’re moving into a new era of Packers football. One that is led by Jordan Love and a true Matt Lafleur offense.
Threat
Depth is the biggest threat to the Packers. They just signed a USFL QB who has never played in a NFL game and it improved their backup QB situation. Their other backups at QB are a guy who was supposed to convert to WR in the NFL and a guy no one thought would be drafted.
Other positions aren’t much prettier. The offense is one bad game away from starting Samori Toure and Luke Musgrave on the outside. Interior d-line depth might not even be on the team right now and the entire safety room would be depth, at best, on other teams.
While there is potential for a lot of excitement with this Packers team, injuries could quickly put the season into the toilet.
Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan currently living in Utah. You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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