Last time we talked about the Packers positives this offseason, there are plenty and the team is expected to go deep into the playoffs at the very least. Now, let’s get pessimistic. Let’s talk about some Packers negatives.

  • Everyone talks about how it’s really great that the Packers don’t have a number 1 receiver – they have a basketball team full of number 2s. But do they really? Christian Watson hasn’t proven to not be injury prone. Romeo Doubs can’t get separation. Jayden Reed was dependent on big plays. Dontayvion Wicks flashed at times but he also did that in college before a poor senior season. And both tight ends were injury prone. Obviously, this is the most pessimistic take. I do believe that the receiver room will work itself out. The cream will rise to the top. We will get a couple truly great players out of this group, but they’re not going to all be pro bowl level players like some fans think.
  • Speaking of players who flashed, Jordan Love had probably eight or nine good games last year. He had one good game the year before. And basically none since his sophomore year at Utah State. It’s just not a lot to go off and he could certainly regress. Of course, basically every NFL expert who didn’t say Sam Bradford was better than Aaron Rodgers believes Love is the real deal.
  • The offensive line depth could be meh. Andre Dillard has been bad his whole career. Jordan Morgan has been bad in OTAs (most lineman take time to develop). The next man up at most spots on the line could be a late draft pick rookie or a career also-ran. I’m sure the starting o-line will still be good. Let’s just hope it can be healthy too.    
  • Jeff Hafley’s resume is just OK. Hafley was defensive backs coach for Mike Pettine in Cleveland for a few years and then defensive backs coach for Pettine’s protégé in San Francisco before coaching the same spot for Saleh in the two years before he adapted his defense. Then Hafley moved to the college ranks, where he coached one of the most talented defenses of all time at Ohio State and a team that got worse each year at Boston College. There are a few different ways to go with this. That Ohio State defense was clearly the best it’s been over the past decade, and it has talent every year. Boston College never really has talent, but they held their own in big games and basically changed their whole strategy to hold SMU to just 14 points in their bowl game. There’s a good chance that Hafley will be the team’s best DC since early Dom Capers but the position has been cursed ever since Dumbledore didn’t hire Voldemort 50 years ago so who knows.  

Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan currently living in Utah. You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.

——————