Welp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp have concluded. We now collectively hold our breath and dive head first into the void aka “The Dead Zone”.
Alas, the Green Bay Packers won’t be back at Lambeau until training camp begins on July 22nd. With new looks in every phase of play and leadership, the Packers are heading into this season with a lot of hype and anticipation.
Here’s 5 reasons why you should be head over heels for this team in 2024!
1. The Name is the Headline, and the Headline is the Name
Without a doubt, the hype starts and stops with QB1. The Green Bay Packers have seemingly struck green and gold three times in a row now. While I’ve always been a strong believer in Jordan, even I didn’t think the “rebuild” would be little more than a mid season slump last year. If Jordan wasn’t cooking, the offseason hype would not be nearly as high. Even with their blockbuster free agency acquisitions and coaching staff overhaul.
Jordan Love is that guy, and I am glad to see the NFL community at large giving him his flowers. It’s been awesome watching him come out of his shell as well the past few months during media appearances and interviews.
Jordan looks confident and has really come into his own as the new face of the franchise. We’ll see if he’s able to build on last year’s success.
Keep in mind that he finished 2023 with a pretty stellar performance. Jordan touted a passer rating of 96.1 totalling 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
I’ll leave it to the man himself to talk about where the team is at heading into 2024.
2. Bye Bye Barry, Hello Hafley
While the offense is certainly stacked this year, the defense is no second fiddle. There are so many reasons to be excited, not the least of which is new Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Hafley.
I don’t think I’m alone in saying that this guy won me over hook, line, and sinker with that introduction presser. Packer Nation has long considered Lambeau Field to be the center of the universe when it comes to football. Hearing Hafley say he came to what he considers mecca for football captured the hearts of cheesheads everywhere.
I don’t know if I’m more excited to see Hafley’s 4-3 scheme or to NOT see Joe Barry’s weak ass zone coverage. I can’t wait to see a more physical and aggressive Packers secondary lining up in more man to man coverage. Rather than in the opposing endzone down after down.
More importantly, Hafley certainly seems to have his players attention and respect.
Every interview I’ve seen where team members are asked about their new DC, be it Jaire, Stokes, Preston, and more, they all talk about how much they love him. He’s described as competitive, intense, fun, and an overall pleasure to work with. He also seems to be able to compliment Matt LaFleur’s offensive mind well.
Matt was a big reason why Jeff came to Green Bay, and it’s great to hear that he will challenge him to make sure that the defense fires on all cylinders. Check out the recent comments Keisan had talking with Kay Adams.
Time will tell if Hafley is the missing link between this talented squad and the heights we’ve been waiting to see them climb to.
3. The Green Bay Packers Nailed It In The Draft AND Free Agency!
Whirlwind Free Agency
Green Bay Packers fans have taken part in an annual ritual for some time now of shouting at the sky while lamenting all the moves the organization could have made furing free agency.
This year however, Gutey went ahead and said, “Hold my beer.”
Xavier McKinney
With team after team unloading top tier talent at the Safety position this year, it couldn’t have been a better time for the Packers to bring an elite player to a room that desperately needed a lifeline. I naturally just felt like I knew better than to get my hopes up too high.
Suffice it to say, I was floored by the news that the Green Bay Packers were picking up Safety Xavier McKinney.
Most fans viewed Mckinney to be the best available free agent Safety on the market. He was also the darling of Packers Twitter while everyone waited and hoped Gutey might snag a free agent.
Mckinney has already been lauded by his teammates for his leadership and what he brings to the field. He also seems to be gelling with my favorite player, Jaire Alexander. I can’t wait to watch these two humble some quarterbacks this season.
Josh Jacobs
Yes, we lost Aaron Jones. Those 30 seconds where we thought it would be a lights out tandem were pretty rad though.
Like many of you I was shocked losing the man that Gutey himself touted as the “heart and soul of the team.”
I felt like both Starsky AND Hutch…
That being said, I think Aaron’s departure has overshadowed the gain that the Packers lineup got by bringing 2022 NFL Rushing Leader, Josh Jacobs into the building.
While that accolade in and of itself is amazing, it’s made even more so when given the context of who his contemporaries were.
Jacobs is explosive and a true three down back in the league. He also has a lot of talent out of the backfield in the passing game. He and AJ Dillon will be an amazing powerhouse backfield alongside Marshawn Lloyd who has been turning heads in mini camp. Check out Jacobs’ comments during his first media presser after joining the organization.
The 2024 Green Bay Packers Draft Class
Remember the 10,000 mock drafts that were done this year?
Most showcased Cooper DeJean, Graham Barton, and several others. However, in the end, Gutey gave us another rock solid draft starting with Offensive Tackle, Jordan Morgan. While I was definitely someone who couldn’t believe we passed up DeJean while on the board, I am not at all mad about adding depth to an essential position like left tackle.
#keepjordansafe2024
Round 2 had me just about crying tears of joy as I watched my other two draft crushes Edgerrin Coooper and Javon Bullard get the call to play on the squad.
Edgerrin Cooper
Edgerrin Cooper is such an amazing fit for the Green Bay Packers linebacker room. He’s a freak athlete and explosive with an amazing football IQ. In fact LaFleur even made mention of a play they were certain would stump him in practice only to watch him diagnose and break it up immediately. It’s awesome seeing the high potential he has. Take a look at him putting in work at mini camp this week.
Javon Bullard
I was a fan of Javon Bullard’s pretty early on in draft season. He’s physical and versatile offering a lot of flexibility in the new 4-3 scheme. A big reason most folks were high on Cooper DeJean was his ability to play both Safety and Nickel. Trust me when I say that Javon brings that same capability and I have no doubt that during training camp he will win out and line up next to Xavier to anchor the secondary.
Take a look at this great video put out by Basaraski Productions on the impact Bullard has on the game.
Letting The Board Fall Where It May
There is no drop off as you look through the remaining draft picks which are littered with players that seemingly fell to Gutey by the grace of the football gods.
Last week I put out an article on one of them in Evan Williams, another Safety who is poised to break away from the pack.
There’s also Running back MarShawn Lloyd who is looking explosive while seemingly perma pissed at the world by the look of intensity on his face. I am here for it!
I think Jacob Monk and or Travis Glover will get a shot at starting on the offensive line after moving to the interior and competing for a guard position.
Meanwhile, there’s Cornerback Kalen King who many considered to have fallen a lot further than he should have in the draft.
Take a look at this clip from Cheeshead TV’s Mark Oldacres explaining why he believes the Packers will keep Love, Pratt, and Clifford all on the 53.
Full video here: Cheesehead Tv Way-Too-Early 2024 Packers 53-Man Roster Prediction
4. Offensive Weapons For Days
The Green Bay Packers will almost certainly be a trial by committee style of offense this season. We have spent years as fans watching a succession of WR1’s. The most recent being the GOAT Tae Adams. Now Jordan will have the luxury of a full arsenal at his disposal. Any and all of the Packers wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs are capable of stepping up and breaking off a big play at any given time.
The Packers are looking stacked in 2024 with weapons for Jordan. I released an article a couple weeks back diving into more detail on the options Matt LaFleur has in his offense this season. Go ahead and click below to take a look at the amazing opportunities the Packers offense will have in 2024.
Green Bay Packers Jordan Love Has Weapons For Days
5. The Green Bay Packers Are A United Front
In the end, most importantly, I believe the biggest reason to be excited is the vibe at 1265 Lombardi. You can look at the near perfect OTA attendance and the countless social media posts between teammates which point to a tight knit unit.
I’m a firm believer that the work you do off the field translates to the work you do on the field. In this respect, the Packers are setting up a strong foundation to stand on come September.
You have returning players like Watson, Doubs, and others that continue to build chemistry with their up and coming quarterback. Meanwhile, the defense is seemingly dialed in and ready to attack under the leadership of Jeff Hafley. We will see if the new 4-3 scheme will finally bring about the elite defense these guys have shown the capability of being.
The Youth Movement Is In Full Force And Everyone Is Bought In
While there will always be some rookie mistakes and bumps in the road, the youth movement in Green Bay has fostered an “all in, and in it together” mindset that permeates through all phases of play.
There’s also a good number of pre-existing and long standing relationships. Be it the numerous Georgia Bulldogs that have reunited, or the connection of Jordan Love and AJ Dillon who lived together ahead of the 2020 draft even taking place.
There’s also a strong connection between Keisan Nixon and former teammate Josh Jacobs.
Both players have stated that they came to Green Bay in part due to Special Teams Coach, Rich Basaccia, who coached them both while playing for the Raiders.
Here’s a little snippet of Josh and and Keisan hanging out during Keisan’s recent appearance on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams.
Full Video: Packers CB Keisean Nixon on New NFL Kickoff Rules, Playing with Josh Jacobs…
Gone are the days of rookies coming into a veteran filled room trying to learn from the likes of Davante Adams, Marcedes Lewis, and of course Aaron Rodgers. Gone are the days of having to earn 12’s respect while not really seeing him oustide of the building.
Instead, this is a young, hungry, talented, and bonded team.
The Standard Has Been Established
Lastly, I think the Packers’ trip to the playoffs last season has set them up for success by establishing the standard of a championship mindset early. They saw that together they can compete with the best in the business. Taking away the mental hurdles will embolden them and help propel the Packers to the stratosphere in 2024.
I know it’s crazy to say in June, but I think the Superbowl window has opened for this young team. Let’s see if the youth movement will lead to the title finding it’s way back to Titletown!
